Perez: 'I'm still in contention for the championship'

Sergio Perez hasn't ruled himself out of F1's world title despite his 57-point deficit to Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen in the Drivers' standings at the half-way point of the 2022 season.

The Mexican was trailing Verstappen in the championship by just 15 points after his commanding win in the Monaco Grand Prix back in May.

But since, two DNFs in four races - in Canada and in Austria - have left Perez at a fair distance from Verstappen in the standings and 19 points behind current runner-up Charles Leclerc.

While he's still a championship contender, a faux-pas in France could deal a significant blow to his title chances.

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"After a tough weekend in Austria, it’s great to be back racing and have a chance to put things right," Perez said.

"We have had two DNFs in the past three races and we can’t afford that in the Championships so I’m aiming to change that this weekend in France.

"I’m still in contention for the Drivers’ Championship, so personally it is also important not to lose any more points."

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From the Circuit Paul Ricard's specific layout to high temperatures and potential tyre degradation, Perez says next weekend's event will offer several difficult challenges that can make or break a driver's race.

"Last year I scored my second podium with the Team in France and I am very looking forward to trying to repeat that," he added.

"Paul Ricard is a challenging track because there are different racing lines you can take through the corners and it’s not easy to know which is the best one to use.

"The high temperatures will also be a factor to consider this weekend, physically it look like it will be a very demanding race and we will have to see how it goes with the tyre degradation because of the heat."

As for Verstappen, the Dutchman echoed his teammate's comments and says tyre management will be key on race day.

"The track has a lot of technical and high-speed corners towards the end, so it will be important to look after the tyres, especially considering it’s going to be a very hot weekend.

"I'm looking forward to another race week where we can hopefully improve on our performance from Austria and learn from our result last time out."

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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.