Formula 1: Sergio Perez wants Red Bull to ‘start again from zero’ after reliability failures

The Mexican has one DNF, while teammate Max Verstappen has two

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is hopeful the team can “start again from zero” after reliability failures cost them a host of points in the opening three races of the season.

Both Perez and Max Verstappen looked in contention for a podium place in the first race in Bahrain before engine problems saw both of them fail to finish.

They then enjoyed a successful weekend in Saudi Arabia as Verstappen won and Perez came fourth.

But in the next race in Australia the issues from Bahrain showed themselves again as Verstappen was forced to retire his car when he looked poised to take second place.

And Perez, who sits fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, admits there are worries around why they have suffered reliability issues so frequently in the opening races of the season.

Per GP Fans, Perez said of the issues experienced by his team: “It’s certainly a concern.

“We’ve lost a lot of points already in these first three races that in the end can make a huge difference in the championship.

“So we are obviously aware of it. All the team back home in Milton Keynes, here, are working flat-out to try to come up with solutions.

“So yeah, we will see and I’m sure we will turn things around and hopefully we can start again from zero when we go back to Europe.”

F1 heads to the continent later this month as the drivers prepare to tackle the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy.