Sergio Perez isn’t giving up on his Formula 1 title hopes despite his setback in Monaco.
A crash in qualifying meant the Mexican started last in Monte Carlo before a difficult race that saw him lapped by Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen twice.
The Dutchman’s eventual win saw the gap between himself and Perez grow to 39 points in the Drivers’ Championship.
But Checo insists he is still very much in the fight.
“No, not really,” he said on Thursday when asked if the pressure had eased now the gap had increased.
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“I just want to maximise my weekends, not think too much about the Championship and then go from there really because anything can still happen.
“We have so many races ahead that it can turn around fairly quickly. The speed is there, which is the most positive [thing], and we just have to go from there.
“I think just making sure we qualify well, making sure we are racing well, not making mistakes and, when we have a bad day, make sure that we get as many points as possible – that will be key.
“We cannot afford any more zeroes in the Championship.”
Few have really given Perez much of a chance up against Verstappen as Red Bull dominate the early part of the season.
But… “I’ve been a match to Max since the beginning of the season, in one way or another,” he insisted via ESPN. “It is sometimes better, sometimes worse and it’s where I believe you have to be.
“I think being teammates with Max is probably the toughest thing you can have because he is a driver who has the most form of all, but I do believe it’s possible to beat him.”
So far, however, Perez’s three wins have come at races where Verstappen has been compromised, so can he really beat Max on pace alone?
“I have to. I have to do that regularly,” he declared. “That’s the main objective for us.”