Heading into the 2024 season, Sergio Perez will kick off his fourth season with Red Bull. It will also be the third season under the current regulations, and he thinks the competition will be much closer this time. Given the same, Marca reports Perez wants 2024 to be his best season in F1, especially after struggling last year.
Revving Up for Victory Checo #F1 #F1twt #SergioPerez pic.twitter.com/MNLKoEsYw0
— Haz (@barcalover_100) February 17, 2024
Stepping into the final year of his contract with Red Bull, Perez says he only wants to focus on racing. The first five races are the most crucial part of the season, as they set the base for what’s to come. Hence, Perez’s immediate goal is to perform well in them. Furthermore, he claimed he does not bother himself with the driver movements that take place in F1.
“I don’t pay much attention to the movements [driver switches] that are taking place. My main concern is the start of the season.”
With the longest F1 season in history less than two weeks away, Perez feels ready for the challenge. He revealed to Marca that he has been working with his engineers in depth. They analyzed every good and bad thing Perez did in 2023. Owing to the same, the Mexican driver feels he is in great shape to have a much better season this time.
After a strong start to 2023, Perez soon paled in comparison to his teammate, Max Verstappen. Experts and analysts believe much of it came from Perez’s defeat in Miami. Having started the race from the pole, he lost the race by over five seconds. Meanwhile, Verstappen, who started the race in P9 after a qualifying mistake, breezed past everyone to secure a convincing win.
What’s next for Sergio Perez?
After increasingly subpar performances in 2023, Perez’s future with Red Bull came under doubt. Rumors started flying of the Mexican getting the axe soon. However, Christian Horner came to his aid and claimed they would respect his contract and see him complete it.
With that, headlines switched to the names of potential candidates who could replace Perez in 2025. Daniel Ricciardo quickly became the no. 1 alternative, given his impressive performances in (formerly) AlphaTauri after replacing Nyck de Vries. Perez, however, does not worry about it.
“Max is on top form, it will be really hard to beat him, but we definitely have to improve on last year”
Sergio Perez on his aims for the 2024 season pic.twitter.com/060Hkk9rS8
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 15, 2024
Addressing the potential of getting replaced, Perez said in an interview that it does not bother him. He claims replacements are a part of his job, and with his contract coming to an end, it won’t be a surprise. The Guadalajara-born driver added that if he were to perform well, “there will be plenty of options out there.” Hence, his focus is on staying consistent throughout the season. Perez wants to make sure he has a strong start to the season and can be better race after race.
