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Sergio Perez is set to miss the pre-race media duties, including the drivers' press conference by Red Bull Racing, as he is unwell. He has been advised rest to ensure that he is fit enough to drive during the Sprint weekend in Spielberg at the 2023 Austrian GP.
A statement released by the team earlier today (June 29) read:
"He became unwell last night and is taking the day to rest to ensure he’s in the best possible health for this weekend’s race."
Sergio Perez is Red Bull's second driver and is currently second in the World Championship standings behind Max Verstappen. Even though his start to the season was very promising, he has somewhat lost his form in recent races. Currently, the Mexican is only nine points ahead of Fernando Alonso, who is in third place in the standings with 117 points.
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Even though Red Bull is confident that Checo will be fit enough to race during the weekend, they still have two reserve drivers just in case he is not well enough — Liam Lawson and Daniel Ricciardo.
Given the contrasting experience that the two drivers carry, it would make sense for the team to choose Ricciardo as the replacement just in case it is required. However, he hasn't driven the RB19 properly yet; the team has planned to put him behind the wheel in Silverstone for a Pirelli tire test.
"I know how important it is for me now to have a consistent weekend" - Sergio Perez ahead of Austrian GP
As mentioned earlier, Sergio Perez's form has taken a little hit in recent races. He has failed to score enough points to keep himself in contention for the World Championship title.
Perez was earlier asked if there is any pressure that he might be feeling while racing in Austria, owing to the fact that it is the team's home race, to which he agreed. He was quoted as saying by The Express UK:
"It's always great to race in Austria. Of course, it's home to Red Bull and that makes it extra special for us in the team. I also can't believe how many Mexicans are here. Every year I see the Mexican flag flying when I arrive at the track and that makes me happy."
Sergio Perez also acknowledged there will be a lot of focus on the track during the weekend. With it being a Sprint weekend, immense work will be required from the driver. He said:
"The focus will be on the track for me. I know how important it is for me now to have a consistent weekend and really produce a result. I know I can do that. It looks like the weather could get treacherous."
