Championship Leader Verstappen ‘Curious’ to find out how RB19 will Perform at Silverstone

Max Verstappen’s superb 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season continued last weekend at the Red Bull Ring with his seventh victory of the year, and he will be aiming for number eight – and the sixth in a row – this weekend at Silverstone.

The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver has been in a class of his own for much of the season so far, and he already holds a substantial eighty-one point advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship.

Verstappen says he is curious to see how his RB19 will perform at Silverstone, which is the home event for Red Bull, and he is looking for another solid and clean performance in order to maintain his amazing form.

“Heading into another home race for us as a Team this weekend in Silverstone,” said Verstappen.  “It’s a great track to go to and I’m also curious to see how the RB19 will perform there.

“There’s always a good atmosphere with a lot of passionate racing fans around the whole track. Austria was an incredible weekend for us and hopefully we can have a strong weekend again in Silverstone, with a solid and clean performance.”

Rain is predicted to fall during the weekend, and Verstappen says any change in the weather could mix things up at Silverstone.

“You never know what the weather will do in the UK so that could mix things up,” said the Dutchman.

“I feel confident going into Silverstone” – Sergio Pérez

After climbing from fifteenth on the grid to finish third in Austria, team-mate Sergio Pérez is eager to build on that performance and secure another good result this weekend.

It was the first time since the Miami Grand Prix that the Mexican was able to stand on the podium, and it was a welcome return to form after seeing his chances of taking the fight to Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship all but disappear.

Pérez was feeling unwell throughout the weekend at the Red Bull Ring, and after resting in between last weekend and this, the Mexican feels ready to hit the track and continue the form he showed last time out at Silverstone.

“In the end we had a great weekend in Austria and it felt good to be back on the podium,” admitted Pérez.  “I felt comfortable with the car all weekend and we had great pace from the start.

“The car really worked for me on Sunday and I was so pleased to come through the field in the way I did. I didn’t feel one hundred percent the whole time and my Team really helped me through it, from set-up to strategy we really nailed it.

“I feel confident going into Silverstone now and it’s all about repeating the process together. I have taken time to rest to make sure I am ready physically because I want to keep this form going now until the summer break.”

Sergio Pérez is hoping to be back to 100% this weekend in Great Britain after falling ill ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix – Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images