Perez targets podium from second row start

2015 Belgian Grand Prix

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Sergio Perez believes he can challenge for a podium finish in tomorrow’s race, which he will start from the second row of the grid.

Perez qualified fifth but will move up one place when Romain Grosjean takes a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change.

“It’s been a really good day and I am very satisfied with my lap in Q3,” he said. “We were able to improve the car balance from yesterday and this gave me a whole lot of confidence – probably the most I have had this season.”

“The car was much more predictable and this allowed me to push more in every corner. I showed very good pace in each of the three qualifying sessions and I am really looking forward to the race tomorrow.”

“I see no reason why we cannot fight for the podium. The performance today also gives me a lot of optimism for the remainder of the season.”

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    13 comments on “Perez targets podium from second row start”

    1. ILuvSoundtracks (@)
      22nd August 2015, 17:59

      For a throwback…

    2. If he makes a good start, I can see him on the podium. The threats will be both Williams, Ricciardo and Vettel I think, but with a good strategy everything can happen…

    3. I’d be super happy to see Perez make the podium. Totally impressed with his lap today. Then again I really do feel both himself and Hulkenberg are both seriously deserving of better machinery.

      Guiltily, I hope for another non-Merc top three of Bottas, Perez and Ricciardo… but one can dream.

      1. Its surely be interesting race for everyone, especially if it rains.

    4. Didn’t he say the same after qualifying 4th at Bahrain 2014? With Perez, you never know sometimes.

    5. I don’t know about a podium but he’s always been good at the starts and has a very sensitive right foot (which explains why he saves tyres so well).
      With the new start procedure I expect him to be first or second by the end of the first lap… in fact I’m seriously tempted to put some money on my prediction.

    6. Pulling for Perez for this race. Perez and Force India have always been there for a taste. I hope they succeed!

    7. While I think that Perez is right to gun for the podium, I do think that the Force India has a tendency to drop back through the field on race day.

      Hoping that he has a good day however.

      1. @dragoll
        I always thought that Perez is a kind of driver who has a lot more speed on Sunday than he does on Saturday, although it depends on the circumstances. We will see.

      2. I can see why Perez might nevertheless be optimistic – this has been one of the circuits where Force India have traditionally gone fairly well and he has consistently been one of the fastest drivers through the first sector and been at the top of the speed traps through there. It would suggest that it may be difficult for others to overtake him into the braking zones, which may make it slightly easier for Perez to defend his position.

        Perez might also be banking on his tyre management abilities to try and extent his stints on the softer tyres slightly longer than his rivals (Lotus, for example, do seem to have been harder on their tyres this year than in the past).
        Furthermore, the threat from Ferrari – and they did seem fairly competitive in race trim – seems to have been slightly blunted given that Vettel is unusually far down the grid and Kimi is even further back, given his mechanical woes in qualifying.

    8. What’s with FI and a Spa? Remember Fisichella in 2009?

      1. It is because of the Bspec car, this Perez said “I think if we brought our old car here we would be fighting with the McLarens,” he said.

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