Sergio Perez asserts that he is not “establishing any deadlines” when it comes to his aspiration of extending his Formula 1 tenure with Red Bull beyond this year’s conclusion.
The Mexican driver is entering the final season of his current contract with Red Bull and is facing pressure to secure a renewal after a challenging campaign last year.
Perez had a strong start to the season with two victories in the first four races, but was unable to maintain that level of success and finished a significant 290 points behind his teammate Max Verstappen.
However, speaking at the unveiling of the team’s RB20 car for 2024, Perez expressed his intention to continue with Red Bull and dismissed any concerns about rumors regarding his future.
“I believe I am part of an exceptional team, being a member of the Red Bull family is incredible, and we will see what lies ahead,” Perez told a select group of media. “At the moment, our full focus is on the beginning of the season, and ideally, we will continue with this team for four more years.”
When asked if he had specific targets for the upcoming campaign, Perez replied, “No, I think the start of the season will be quite hectic, so we will concentrate on the first few races. That is my primary objective, and I am not setting any specific timelines or anything of that sort.”
“I will be focusing on the first five races because they require a lot of energy, and I do not want any distractions that could hinder my performance,” he added.
There have been speculations linking both Daniel Ricciardo, who currently races for the rebranded RB team, and Williams driver Alex Albon with a potential return to Red Bull to replace Perez in 2025.
Nevertheless, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has stated that the highly sought-after seat alongside Verstappen for the next season is still Perez’s to lose.
“Christian plays a significant role in our team discussions, and he has been involved in finding ways to support my side and enhance our performance as a racing team,” Perez further commented.
Horner also clarified that the current World Champions hold a privileged position and will not be hurried to determine whether Perez will maintain his current role until 2025.
However, Perez, who did not receive a reprieve for his Formula 1 career with Red Bull until the conclusion of the 2020 season, is confident that he will not be distracted by the uncertainty.
“To be honest, after being in this industry for so long, I understand how it works,” Perez explained. “I’m not as concerned about it anymore. My priority is to enjoy it, have fun, stay motivated, and the rest will take care of itself.”
With Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected move to Ferrari in 2025 now confirmed, Perez believes that several drivers will be eager to have their Formula 1 future resolved earlier this season.
“I’m sure most drivers will want to sort things out much earlier in the year,” he commented. “But it depends on your approach. Personally, I’m just focused on having a good year. As long as I perform well on the track, the rest will fall into place.”
“I’m not really worried about it. This is my 14th season in Formula 1, so my mentality is to focus on performing at my best on the track.”
According to the Source motorsportweek.com