Sergio Perez took two wins in the opening four races of the 2023 F1 season but watched Max Verstappen dominate from the Miami Grand Prix onwards in May; Perez held off a late challenge from Lewis Hamilton to take second place in the Drivers' Championship
Tuesday 12 December 2023 16:14, UK
Sergio Perez says his target for 2024 is to topple Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen and win the Formula 1 world title.
Perez finished runner-up to Verstappen this year to give Red Bull their first ever one-two in the Drivers' Championship but he finished 290 points behind the Dutchman.
Going into the Miami Grand Prix, the Red Bull pair shared two wins each and Perez beat Verstappen on merit in Baku.
However, Verstappen won from ninth on the grid in Miami with a late race overtake on pole-sitter Perez and went on to win 17 of the next 18 races, including a record-breaking 10 in a row.
As for Perez, his form dipped and he failed to reach Q3 for five consecutive events and didn't beat Verstappen for the rest of the season.
Asked by Sky Sports F1 if he still has the belief to win the championship next year, Perez said: "That's the main target. I already finished second and my main interest is to do one better. I'm aware of the challenge it is.
"We are going to take this winter time to try to start the season on a high and be able to maintain that level of consistency throughout the season."
Perez's 290-point deficit to Verstappen in the final standings is the biggest margin in F1 history between first and second place.
The Mexican spent a week in the Milton Keynes factory after Verstappen secured the title at the Qatar Grand Prix in October to understand why he was slower than his team-mate.
He says this year has made his side of the garage "stronger" and sees Verstappen as the best reference on the grid.
"I think we need better pace, and a very consistent season. I think we went through a bit of a rollercoaster this year," said Perez, who's contract expires at the end of 2024.
"Next year, we have a new opportunity. To be honest, I felt like I was not totally at one with this year's car.
"I hope that next year we can be a lot better, a lot stronger. We came back towards the end of the year. I think the last few races have been a lot stronger for us. We've got to give credit to Max. I think he's done the best season in history and he's been outstanding."
24 races in 2024! Watch every round of next season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Bahrain Grand Prix from February 29-March 2. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW
