Sergio Perez admitted he is "looking for different things" from Red Bull's car development compared to Max Verstappen – but insisted that does not make things more difficult for the team.
The Mexican has fallen out of contention for the drivers' title in recent weeks after struggling to match his team-mate's performances. He has explained this by claiming he "hasn't been as comfortable" with the car as it has been developed during the season.
Red Bull's changes have seen Verstappen benefit more, though chief engineer Paul Monaghan rubbished suggestions that this was a deliberate move. "It would be foolish of us to not then try and give Checo a method to get more out of [the car]," he said in July.
Perez has since explained that Verstappen and himself often have different preferences when it comes to car setup. "Sometimes we come very close," he told RacingNews365. "On some weekends we are extremely close, and on some others we are not so close."
But asked if he thinks that makes it more difficult for the team's engineers to develop the car, he quickly answered: "No. We are both pushing the direction of the car. At the end of the day, the team is doing the development and we are pushing and trying to get the most out of it every single weekend."
Speaking to BILD earlier this month, Perez elaborated more on how the car's development has hampered him. "I feel very good in the car, but not perfect," he said. "At the beginning of the season I had top speed – now we have further developed the car and it no longer suits my driving style 100 percent. I have to adapt because it currently suits Max and his driving style better.
"That's why I have to get used to it as quickly as possible and hope that we'll go more in the direction we had at the start of the season. Then I can really attack again. I can't even imagine what it must be like to celebrate a title. That's exactly what motivates me. If I wasn't in such a top car, I probably wouldn't be in this sport anymore."
Asked if believes he can beat Verstappen and become a world champion, Perez replied: "Definitely! If everything is right and I drive perfectly, I can beat anyone in Formula 1. Max too. I've shown that several times this season.
"Unfortunately, that won't be a sure-fire success. Max has incredible quality, is extremely cool for his age and has a very good feeling for the car. That's why the question isn't whether I can beat him in one weekend, but how many races I can finish ahead of him. It's about consistency. It distinguishes a champion."
