Sergio Perez reveals that he was thinking about his life without racing when Red Bull approached him with a deal in 2020.
Sergio Perez was at the peak of his career in 2020 having delivered his best-ever championship result. The Mexican finished fourth in the standings in an underperforming Racing Point, now rebranded as Aston Martin.
Despite his hard work with the team where he had spent 7 years, Perez announced that he would be leaving the team at the end of the 2022 season in a shocking revelation.
With no future prospects in F1, Perez revealed in The Players’ Tribune that when he knew he was not getting another contract with Racing Point, the Mexican lost all hope and was close to accepting that his F1 career was over. He was already thinking about his life without racing.
Then in the last race of the 2020 season, Red Bull approached Perez’s camp seeking a replacement for Alex Albon and a teammate for their future world champion Max Verstappen.
The Milton-Keynes-based team offered him an $18 Million a year deal placing him 4th among the highest earners on the grid.
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Sergio Perez says competing with Red Bull is a privilege
After delivering an impressive performance in the 2021 season and helping Max Verstappen win the championship title, he signed a two-year contract extension with the Red bull F1 team.
He has been instrumental in helping Verstappen clinch his two titles and Red Bull win their first constructors’ title since 2013. The Dutchman nicknamed him ‘Minister of Defence’ after he held Lewis Hamilton at bay for several laps in the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Perez says that competing with such a strong car and a strong team is a huge privilege. Before joining the Austrian camp, the 32-year-old had only 1 win that he grabbed at the 2020 Sakhir GP becoming the first Mexican to clinch a GP win in 50 years.
With the Milton-Keynes-based team, he says that every weekend he’s guaranteed a chance to fight for victory.
Perez grabbed his 2nd win with Red Bull in the 2021 Azerbaijan GP and has clinched two victories this year, which came in Monaco and Singapore.
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What’s next for the Mexican driver?
With only 2 points away from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in P2 with 267 points, Perez who stands in P3 with 265 points in the standings is aiming to climb the ladder and help Red Bull gain their 1-2 finish in the season.
Heading into the Mexican GP this weekend, Perez is also looking forward to claiming victory at his home race and making history.
Also Read: 4 GP winner Sergio Perez does not want Max Verstappen to give him victory at Mexican GP
