Perez explains: "We had a couple of delays"

Red Bull drove a disappointing second free practice. Where Verstappen finished in ninth place, Perez was good for tenth position. "It was a tricky day today," the driver told the press release. "We had a couple of delays in both sessions which meant we were rushing a little and running into some traffic, and with less practice time this year it's important to get the laps in. Tonight we've got some understanding to do and pace to find, especially over one lap."

Despite the disappointing result, Perez also saw some positives. "I think our long-run pace is stronger but there's work to do. Let's see what we can find because qualifying here is especially important. Hopefully, we can recover the pace and be in the mix tomorrow."

Mercedes did an excellent job during the second free practice with a first and second place. On Saturday afternoon the team will battle with Red Bull for the front positions at the start of the race.