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Red Bull was always a prominent team with exciting drivers. Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen have been teammates for quite some time, but there is already much speculation about how long this pairing will last.
Sergio Perez has acknowledged that he is approaching the end of his racing career and that he wants to finish it with Red Bull.
The Mexican driver, who will turn 35 in January, has been in Formula 1 since 2011. He is married and has four children. Currently, he holds the seventh position in this year's championship, and even though he has signed a contract for another two seasons, there is ongoing speculation about whether he will keep his seat. Dealing with pressure and rumors isn’t easy, but the Mexican driver has repeatedly shown throughout his career that he knows how to handle such situations.
In an interview with The Times, Perez discussed the challenges of balancing his personal life with his racing career. He mentioned that it’s definitely tough, but worth it, given the sacrifices he has made.
From a young age, he dreamed of one day being among the elite and the best drivers in F1. He realized his dream, achieved great success, and became part of the best team in F1.
Perez explained that he has always fought to be where he is now and recognizes that he’s nearing the end of his career. He admitted that he doesn’t want to do this job for too long and anticipates a moment will come when he will need to step away to avoid continually leaving his family behind.
He expressed his desire to end his career with Red Bull, stressing that he doesn’t know exactly when that will be. He wants to give everything back to the team that has given him so much, and before retiring, he hopes they can win a few more championships.
Sergio Perez had a poor start to the second half of the season
The start of the second half of the season wasn’t ideal for him either, although he had expressed optimism about the continuation of the season during the break.
The Mexican driver finished the race in Italy in eighth place, while his teammate, who is still leading, finished in sixth. Perez expressed his disappointment in a media interview, acknowledging that the race presented numerous challenges. Despite knowing that the race could be difficult, he hoped the team could achieve a positive result.
The Austrian team faced many issues, including high tire degradation and a lack of pace. Perez criticized some moments during the race but it seems the general view is that Red Bull could have performed better. The team's ongoing crisis continues, and if they don’t find a solution soon, anything could happen.
“[I’m] really disappointed. I was expecting it to be difficult but not this bad. We basically were slow and had high deg [degradation], especially on the medium.
I compromised my race a little bit I think to keep George [Russell] behind, but that worked quite well for us because we were able to hold George behind for a little bit and in the end he came really close to Max, so I think it made a difference to the team in terms of points we secured today.”-Perez said, as quoted by Formula Nerds.
Perez expressed that he feels he’s been struggling with similar issues for the past eight to ten races. However, recently, Max Verstappen has encountered similar problems. Despite some confusion, the data clearly indicates where the issue lies.
Although Verstappen is currently well ahead of Perez, the crisis affecting him has raised concerns among Red Bull fans, who are uncertain about what to expect for the rest of the season. McLaren is closing in, and several other teams are also strong competitors. Even if Red Bull manages to win the championship this year, the next season could pose massive challenges. It is crucial for Red Bull to identify the root of their problems, address them effectively, and work to restore their position at the forefront of the competition.
The Mexican driver is optimistic that his team will find a solution. Looking at the past, Red Bull has often managed to resolve issues, and this time is expected to be no different. The Austrian team has talented people and experts who will work diligently over the coming weeks to find a solution.
“I am very confident the team here at track and back at home have the solution,“ Perez said.
“We have produced great cars in the past and there is no reason why we cannot get back on track."
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