Sergio Perez says he's only struggling with the "braking" of his Red Bull car.
The Mexican arrived in Montreal recently denying team boss Christian Horner's claim that his drop in form was due to the pressure of trying to go head-to-head with Max Verstappen for the drivers' title.
"I don't think so," Perez insisted.
As far as former Renault boss Flavio Briatore is concerned, Perez's problem is more fundamental than that - he's simply not as good as his Dutch teammate.
"We saw the usual absolute supremacy of a driver, Max Verstappen, in Canada," he told the Italian business newspaper Il Riformista.
"His teammate Checo Perez, on the other hand, was far behind. It was another demonstration that not only the car must be good but the driver must also be up to the task," Italian Briatore added.
But according to Perez, his performance dip simply has a technical explanation.
"I have problems with the braking," he is quoted by the Spanish newspaper Diario Sport. "I need to work with the team to find out what is happening.
"Mentally I feel strong," the 33-year-old insisted. "I'm not in a tunnel of negativity or anything.
"I'm strong. I'll come back," Perez added.
"In the most recent races I have lacked pace, it's true," he admitted, "but not in Monaco where I was fast all weekend. I just made a mistake.
"I think mentally you have to be strong, and I am. I know that I will get through this difficult period."
