Earlier in the week, Red Bull made official the renewal of Sergio Pérez with the team on a 2-year contract.
Looking ahead to the ninth round of the championship to be held at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit, Pérez shared the details of the negotiation that led him to continue being a Red Bull driver until at least 2026.
“I think like every negotiation, you always have a process to go through, which is not always really nice to do it in between the races where everything is flat out,” he expressed.
“So it’s really nice to get this distraction for the team and for myself out of the way so that we can focus on pure performance. And I think that’s the best thing.”
Since joining the team in 2021, the Mexican has achieved 5 victories, 29 podiums, and 3 pole positions, in addition to helping the Milton Keynes team to finish 1-2 in the Drivers’ Championship for the first time in its history last season.
Despite this, the 34-year-old has not been immune to criticism, as the year in which he took runners-up saw him finish 290 points behind his teammate Max Verstappen, in the WDC table.
When asked about how critics assured his renewal worked for the comfort of the World Champion Dutch driver, Pérez responded: “Well, I think in Formula 1, there are always different agendas, and I really get that. It’s something that has been with every driver since we got in the sport.
“And I think the best thing to do is just to close the visor and focus on my job, do the best for myself, for my career. And at the end of the day, when my career is finished, it’s the only thing that will matter to me.”
The Mexican shared his feelings, describing himself as happy, but he is also aware of the responsibility that a team like Red Bull holds.
“Well, I obviously feel happy once you get an agreement. It really means that both parties are happy with what we got, and happy to move forward. And obviously, we’ve got great targets ahead of us.
“Red Bull is a team that really takes everything out of you. It’s something that since I came here, the amount of how intense everything is on track, off track, and it’s a challenge you don’t have anywhere else. I haven’t had that sort of challenge in my career.
“When I sign, I’m really up for it and willing to give my 100%. It was just a very straightforward negotiation.”
Pérez’s renewal means that Red Bull will face a new era of regulations in Formula 1 in 2026 with the Mexican in its ranks, which is why the man from Guadalajara confesses the goal of hanging up his helmet in the Austrian team at the end of his career, but it does not mean that Tuesday’s announcement will be his last contract in the category.
“I mean, you’re always talking to two different teams. There were other options out there, but for me, my plan A, B, and C was definitely to stay at Red Bull. I really want to finish my career here, wherever that is.
“And certainly when you look at Fernando or even Lewis, there’s a long way to go.
“But I think I didn’t sign my last contract. I don’t think I’ve done that. Because when you commit to two years in Formula 1, it’s a lot of time, a lot of energy, and it’s a long way down the line.”
