Returning Perez very happy to be back for Spanish GP after 'tough days' in quarantine

There was a bounce in Sergio Perez’s step as he strolled into the Barcelona paddock on Thursday morning, the Mexican saying he was “very happy” to be back after missing the last two Grands Prix after testing positive for Covid-19.

Perez was forced to watch the British and 70th Anniversary Grands Prix from a sofa in Milton Keynes after contracting the virus, but returned a negative result ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, paving the way for him to race again for Racing Point.

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“I’m very happy to be back to finally be rid of the virus and be back with my team,” he said. “It’s been tough days for me. I’m very happy to be back and be doing what I love.”

Checo admitted to feeling “frustrated” watching “my pink car” go racing on TV at Silverstone, but he tried to focus on his training and getting back to fitness.

“I was extremely lucky not to have any big symptoms other than a little bit of headache and one or two days I felt very tired but at the same time you feel like that when you spend so much of your time on your own,” he said.

“I couldn’t leave the room, so I was basically on lockdown for 10 days. That was the only feeling. I was actually training in the apartment where I was. I was trying to keep fit.

“There was a chance I could’ve raced in the second Silverstone race. If I tested negative. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. Now finally I’m free to race again.”

However, Perez – who felt dizzy in Hungary during the race weekend – admitted it might take him some time to get back up to speed after missing two races.

“The best training you can do is to drive the cars,” he said. “I think in that regard I’m probably not at the best but shouldn’t be any issue because it didn’t hit me hard – I was able to maintain a certain amount of training.”

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Perez said he has been in regular contact with Nico Hulkenberg, who stood in for him at the two Silverstone races and is a former team mate, including this morning when it was confirmed the Mexican would be returning.

“I spoke regularly to him during the weekend and I was hoping for him to score his first podium,” he said. “Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, but yeah, he actually texted me today so we were exchanging text messages.”