Perez on contract negotiations: 'With Red Bull, it can be quick'
Like many other drivers, Sergio Perez does not yet have a contract for 2025. The Mexican does not expect contract negotiations to take long, as Red Bull is a team that knows what they want. At the moment, he says it is still unclear who will be in his seat next year.
Being Max Verstappen's teammate will undoubtedly be an incredibly difficult task. At the moment, the Dutchman dominates the entire Formula 1 with his Red Bull. Sergio Perez is trying to beat his teammate for the fourth year in a row already, but it looks like it will not succeed. "It's not easy," the Mexican told Sky Sports about being teammates with Verstappen.
"We already saw it in Bahrain. The only driver to put the perfect lap together was Max. He is a driver who operates at a high level without mistakes. Just being able to redeem yourself time after time. You’re only as good as your last race. When I’ve been comfortable with the car and team, I’ve been extremely close to Max. That’s the best I can do. Time will tell if that’s enough. If not, I will be watching at who goes next!"
Red Bull is a team that makes hard decisions
At the moment, Perez also does not know what his future will look like. One thing that is clear is that Red Bull Racing knows very well what it wants. "I think it’s early to say. I want to wait a few races to see how it goes. It’s not an easy or straightforward seat." Here, the Mexican is referring to some situations with several Red Bull drivers who lost their seats. "It has some complications which we’ve seen in the past. We’ve seen great drivers that don’t survive six months or a year. It’s a unique team. I’m in no hurry. I want to see how it goes. With Red Bull, I think it will be a very fast conversation. It will take us five minutes to say what we want to do."
The 34-year-old is also asked if he agrees with the statement: 'It is impossible to beat Verstappen'. Perez leaves his answer to this open. "We cannot take anything away from him. He’s at one with the car. I think Max is at the stage of his career where he has a car that he is 100% comfortable with."