Perez: I should be the championship leader!

Sergio Perez has blamed the issues he faced in the previous race in Melbourne for not currently sitting at the top of the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship.

The Red Bull driver closed the gap to championship-leading teammate Max Verstappen to just six points following a convincing victory at the Azerbaijan GP.

It's the second Grand Prix win of the season for Perez, who also took the Baku Sprint victory on Saturday to help his championship challenge.

The Red Bull drivers have finished first and second at every race except one, the Australian Grand Prix, where Perez took fifth place after crashing out in qualifying.

When asked he believed he could mount a championship challenge, Perez highlighted the Melbourne race as his reason for not currently leading the Drivers' standings.

"I think with having three kids at home, I wouldn't be travelling the world if I didn't believe that I could be a World Champion, and I'm working towards that," Perez told Sky Sports F1.

"But, obviously, there is only so much you can say outside of the car, I think it's important to deliver on the track.

"I think without all the issues that we had in qualifying in Melbourne, we should be leading the championship. So, definitely there is everything to believe that we can do well.

"I'm fighting for [the championship], but I also know that it's a massive road ahead, so I I need to keep my head down and just keep delivering."