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Racing is boring in 2014 - Perez

ESPN Staff
April 3, 2014 « Ecclestone backs Haas F1 entry | Bahrain will be a better marker - Button »
Sergio Perez believes strategy will be even more important in 2014 © Sutton Images
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Sergio Perez believes the lack of downforce in the new generation of F1 cars is having a detrimental effect on racing for both drivers and fans.

Tyre degradation was an issue during the race in Malaysia, while passing opportunities were at a premium, though Perez was forced to sit out after failing to emerge from the garage for the warm-up lap. Despite having a front row seat to watch the action Perez admits he was impressed by what he saw.

"Malaysia was quite a boring race," Perez said. "F1 has changed a lot. There's less downforce in the tyres, and although Pirelli is going really aggressive with the new harder tyre compounds degradation is not really improving. It's because you are sliding a lot so you are degrading like it was a softer compound. The lack of downforce makes following the cars difficult. Also the lack of grip that you have on the grid is really a lot, and there's more torque. The pace that we saw compared to last year was amazing, in Malaysia it was really, really slow. The racing is more difficult these days."

"It's easier to make a mistake but it's not only that. It's the fact that you degrade the tyres by sliding more, by following a car you lose a lot of downforce, so that makes things harder for us a driver to attack someone who is on a similar pace to you."

One of the most significant moments in Malaysia was Fernando Alonso using the advantage of fresh rubber and a different strategy to pass Perez's team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, something Perez believes will become a regular sight this season.

"With the lack of downforce you really need to have a different strategy to have any chance of a good move. For example, Fernando was on three stops compared to Nico's two and it was one of the few fights that we saw. We saw Williams as well on the same strategy [as McLaren] and it was more difficult for them to get past."

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