Sergio Perez, driver for Red Bull Racing, has revealed that he had “two opportunities to change teams” during his F1 career. Despite the offers, Perez chose to stay at Red Bull because he relishes the challenge of being Max Verstappen’s teammate.
Perez’s future has come under intense scrutiny as the 2024 season has progressed, despite his contract extension earlier this year. The Mexican driver has faced challenges with form, particularly in the second half of the season, while his teammate Max Verstappen continues to dominate.
Speaking to GQ, Sergio Perez opened up about the opportunities he had to leave Red Bull but opted to stay for the challenge. “I had an opportunity, two opportunities, to change teams,” Perez revealed. “When I looked at it, I thought, I really love the challenge I have at Red Bull. It’s a massive challenge being Max’s teammate. It’s a challenge that basically trains you for all of it.”
Perez emphasized that despite the pressure, he wants to finish his career at the “very top” of the sport, highlighting the prestige of driving for a leading team like Red Bull. “I want to spend my last part of my career at the top, at the very top, where the pressure, it’s full-on,” he said.
At Red Bull, the pressure is always high, especially with the dominance of Max Verstappen. Perez acknowledged the tough moments in his career but also pointed out that “90 percent of the grid would have loved to have my career.” He continues to face scrutiny from both the team and the media, but he understands that this is part of the Formula 1 culture.
Perez said, “It’s how the sport is. You have one, two bad races, a lot of negative talk about you and so on. But it’s also something in the culture of the team as well – with Red Bull. The surrounding talk, the contract talks and so on. It’s just part of the game.”
As Red Bull weighs Perez’s performance at the end of the season, the team remains focused on finding the best strategy for the future. Despite the pressure, Perez has made it clear that he is committed to staying with Red Bull, where he continues to battle alongside one of the greatest drivers in F1 history.
Perez’s resilience and determination to succeed at Red Bull Racing highlight his ambitions to continue pushing at the highest level of motorsport, regardless of the challenges.
