Why is Sergio Perez so successful on street circuits? Former Red Bull race engineer explains

Former Red Bull race engineer Blake Hinsey claims Sergio Perez is successful at street circuits because of his grasp on tire management and circuit adaptability. The Mexican driver plowed his way to a second victory in Baku, becoming the first driver to do so.

Perez won the race despite starting in P3 in Baku. The Mexican driver was aided by an unfortunate pit stop call for his teammate Max Verstappen but managed to hold off the charging Dutchman over the course of the race.

While Verstappen performs better than Perez on traditional circuits, the 33-year-old is known for his prowess on street circuits.

Speaking about Sergio Perez's performance on street tracks, Blake Hinsey said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast:

"Traditional circuits, Max was about half a percent ahead. Upwards of a one percent gap to Checo at the end of the season [2022]. On street circuits, there was no gap in the qualifying laps they set. The numbers don't lie - he does tend to go well there. I think it is a little bit of everything - the killer instinct, the adaptability."

As it stands, Checo is only six points behind championship leader Max Verstappen in the drivers' standings.

Sergio Perez on his relationship with Max Verstappen

According to Sergio Perez, he and his teammate Max Verstappen have a 'mature' relationship, despite Verstappen's current lead in the drivers' standings and Perez holding second place.

Initially expected to be a supportive teammate to the Dutch driver in 2021, Perez became more competitive within the Red Bull team as time went on. However, the duo's relationship hit a rough patch at the 2022 Brazilian GP when Verstappen disregarded team instructions, causing visible tension within the squad.

After his most recent win in Baku, Sergio Perez now trails Verstappen by just six points in the drivers' standings. Perez contends that there is now significant respect and maturity between the two drivers.

The Mexican said, as quoted by Motorsport.com:

"Inside it is a great atmosphere with the team. There is a very high level of respect between each other in the team with all the engineers from their side or my side. I think we are both mature enough to know what's right and what's wrong. As long as that keeps being the case, then I don't expect anything to change."

Red Bull is clearly the class of the field at the moment, having won all four races so far this year. However, with the team expecting tougher times ahead due to a wind tunnel testing penalty, it remains to be seen if they can maintain their form.