Perez conscious of need to 'put it together' for Red Bull

©RedBull

Sergio Perez is fully aware of the strong potential of Red Bull's RB16B, and therefore also conscious of the fact that he needs "to put it together" and reward his team with big points in Turkey.

Perez has scored a top ten finish in only three of the last six races, having been caught out by a string of incidents and penalties.

The shortfall has positioned the Mexican fifth in the Drivers' standings, but 144.5 points behind his teammate Max Verstappen.

While the Dutchman is well-placed to fight for the title against Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull will need a fast and consistent Perez to help it catch and overhaul Mercedes in the Constructors' championship.

©RedBull

"I am very confident in this car, I think lately we have been showing good signs of pace," said Perez ahead of this weekend's round of racing at Istanbul Park.

"But I am conscious we must put it together to get the car where it deserves on the grid and then back into scoring those big points, to get us where we want to be in the championship, come the end of the season."

Read also: Red Bull confirms special Honda liveries for Turkish GP

Perez, who finished P9 in Sochi, says he undertook a significant amount of work at Milton Keynes before setting off for Istanbul.

"Yes, we did a lot of work after Russia to analyse what went wrong and what went right and where we can look to improve," he explained.

"I have spent some more time on the sim ahead of Turkey too, so we have done some pretty intense homework for this weekend.

"I am looking forward to the last seven races now and I am sure our luck will turn, we are performing well on track but now we must show that with our results on a Sunday, I want to be back on the podium this weekend."

Last year, Perez enjoyed a productive weekend in Turkey with Racing Point, qualifying third and finishing the race a strong P2 behind winner Lewis Hamilton.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.