The Mexican’s win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix brought him within six points of world title leader Max Verstappen and confirmed him as a true challenger for the title.

Looking back at Baku’s performances, especially the way he controlled the pace up front – as he did in Saudi Arabia – Perez singled out the tire management issues he spent working with his engineers over the winter, which sparked him. A turn of fate.

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“I think one of my weaknesses last year was taking care of the tyres,” Perez said when asked by Autosport about the significance of the Baku result.

“In the winter, I sat down with my engineers and looked at it because I was very disappointed[with last year]- I didn’t have a good race rhythm.

“I think we’ve managed to understand a lot of things and we’ve been better at that this year.”

While Perez has a reputation in the past as one of the best drivers when it comes to tire maintenance, he says those skills are not easily transferrable to the Red Bull car concept.

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, first place, at the press conference

Photography: Mark Sutton/ motorsport pictures

“When I came to Red Bull, the way you looked after your team tires was very different,” he said. “So I had to learn a lot about how to take care of Red Bull tires.

“I think in my first year, I got better at the end of the year. But, with the regulations changing, I couldn’t take care of them properly.

“I feel like I’m doing a lot better now. With the knowledge of Red Bull cars, I feel more like a Red Bull driver.”

The progress he has made so far in unlocking what Red Bull needs also convinces Perez that there is still more room for improvement.

“There’s more to it in terms of being a Red Bull driver and the way you drive a Red Bull car,” he said.

“I think once you’re really integrated into a team and you understand the concept of the car, you’re able to make the most of it. It’s only going to come with time, the more time you spend with the team the better.

“But I certainly believe that compared to last year, I’ve made a big step forward.”

Perez said it was not easy to meet a team-mate like Verstappen, which is why he opted for an in-depth analysis of his winter driving.

Asked how he’s getting himself back on track after a tough 2022, he said: “I’m very strong mentally. That’s my biggest strength, and it always has been.

“It’s not easy being a teammate of Max because he’s been playing and he’s been winning. We’ve seen in the past that it’s not easy for teammates to survive.

“I believe in myself, but I have to understand the whole concept of the car very deeply and make sure I’m using the right tools for the fight.”