Sergio Perez was surprised to see Toro Rosso lead the Formula 1 midfield through the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend with such pace and 𝓰consistency, but is hopeful that Force India can bounce back and join the battle to be fourth-fastest in China.

After struggling at the season-opener in Australia, Toro Rosso made a giant stride forwards last time out in Bahrain thanks to a new update package which allowed Pierre Gasl꧙y to match the second-best result in the team's history by finishing four🅘th.

By contrast, Force India - last year's fourth-place finisher in the con❀structors' championship - had a more difficult race as Perez was caught up in an incident on the opening lap with Gasly's teammate, Brendon Hartley.

While Esteban Ocon was able to salvage a point in the second Force India car, the team left Bahrain sitting second-bottom in the teams' standings, having anticipated a tougher fight to retain its place in the pecking o♏rder.

"We expected [a tougher fight], but probably not from Toro Rosso. We didn’t expect Toro Rosso to be so consistent and quick right there," Perez admi𒆙tted ahead of this weekend's Chinese Gran🔯d Prix in Shanghai.

"They were definitely fourth-strongest in Bahrain. I hope the midfield 🙈pack will be a lot tighter. I think there will be great competition throughout the season around the midfielওd group."

Perez said h🎐e expected the pace-setting midfield team to keep changing throughout the season, such are the fine margins separating Toro Rosso, Haas, McLaren, Renault and Force India, with Sauber also lurking in the fi🍷ght.

"I think at the moment there is no one team," Perez said. "Probably Haas and Toro Rosso are the strongest right now, 😼but everything is really close in that midfield group.

"Hopefully we can close up the gap and be leading 🌱that group soon."