Perez knows "he needs to perform" if he wants to retain his seat at Red Bull

Ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Red Bull driver Sergio Perez reckons that he is fully aware of the fact that he needs to perform if he wants to retain his seat at the reigning champion team.

On the back of a series of difficult races and intense speculation over his F1 future, Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has acknowledged that he will need to raise his performance level if he wants to retain his seat at the Milton Keynes-based squad.

"We are coming into a very important weekend in Las Vegas for the Team. This race last year was such an unknown, it was a brand new race, it was a new surface to us all and we were in temperatures we never usually race in.

"We barely had any data in 2023, so this year we are approaching this street circuit with a lot more information and understanding. For me, it’s a track I enjoy, I like the street circuit experience, with the walls in tight and you cannot compare to driving down The Strip or towards the Sphere towering over you.

"While it’s a spectacle of a race, for everyone attending and watching back home, it’s one where I know I need to perform and maximise this car and my own performance. I’ve been working with the team and feel São Paulo was much more competitive than we where able to show, so let’s put it together for the last three," concluded Perez.

His team-mate Max Verstappen endured a rollercoaster at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Although he showed encouraging speed in the sprint race, he was penalised for a yellow-flag infringement, which meant that he ended up fourth.

A penalty triggered by an engine change saw the Dutchman start the 71-lap race from P16, but he managed to fight his way up towards the sharp end of the field. A well-timed red flag period meant that he could change his tyres without losing any time, and found himself in second. The reigning champion managed to pick off the surprise leader Esteban Ocon to clinch his first victory since June's Spanish Grand Prix.

Ahead of this weekend's Las Vegas F1 round, Verstappen said: "Brazil was an incredible race for us and a really special moment for myself and the Team. It was great to see us back to the form we were before; the Team did an amazing job and we are hoping to continue this into the next few races.

"Of course, Vegas is the start of the final triple header of the year so this is the final push for everyone. We performed well here last year and it is a really fast circuit, with long straights and a lot of opportunities to overtake and go racing.

"Once again, the temperatures look quite low so it will be about managing the tyres. We are taking each race as it comes and are looking forward to the final races of the season," concluded Verstappen.