Perez explains why he turned down "opportunities" to change F1 teams
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Sergio Perez had the chance to leave Red Bull Racing for another team. Speaking to GQ, Perez discusses the opportunities he had but also how the challenge of being Max Verstappen's teammate was the reason why he wanted to stay at Red Bull.
Sergio Perez is under considerable pressure in 2024. The Mexican's contract was extended, but stories quickly emerged about performance clauses in his contract which would allow Red Bull to replace him. With the weaker performances this season, Perez knows he is still under a magnifying glass.
Why Perez stayed at Red Bull
"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," the Mexican stated.
But Perez doesn't want to shy away from this. "I had an opportunity, two opportunities, to change teams. 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."
"So I said, 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 added. That pressure also brings rumours about Perez's future, but Perez is not worried about that. "But ultimately, there is 90 percent of the grid who would have loved to have my career."
This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton
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16 October 2024
