F1 News
Perez takes a dig at the F1 media: 'Lack of professionalism'
Sergio Perez has criticised some of the European media in Formula 1 for their lack of professionalism. The Red Bull driver has been under pressure for much of the season but has explained how he deals with some of the "hate" the media throw at him.
Perez is contracted to drive for Red Bull next season as Max Verstappen's teammate. But there has been a lot of doubt about his future. Red Bull started the season with three one-two finishes in the opening four races, but Checo hasn't been on the podium since race five in China. He has slipped all the way down to P8 (last out of the top four teams) while his teammate has a chance of winning the World Championship in the next Grand Prix in Las Vegas.
In recent months, a rumour emerged that Perez would announce his retirement at the Mexican Grand Prix. Perez took to social media to address those rumours and shut them down immediately. 'Checo' used a scene from 'The Wolf of Wall Street' to underline his message, where Leonardo Di Caprio's character says, "I'm not f***ing leaving!" with the caption "Sorry."
How does Perez deal with the media?
Perez has also faced some criticism from pundits and the press in general for his performances compared to Verstappen. Speaking to Banorte, Perez was asked how he deals with what the media throw at him.
"With humor. The truth is, I already laugh at everything that is made up, what is spoken. I don't think it's all of them. There are very professional journalists who do their job very well, who in the end understand it. You have a bad race, you have to talk about it. And as an athlete, sometimes it's hard to understand it, but you also have to be honest and know that maybe you didn't have the best race, you did not make the best decisions. But there is also an excess of, let's say, a lack of professionalism from many European media," Perez said.
"I focus on my job, on what I can do, on preparing myself as a driver, as a sportsman. That's the main thing, because I know that at the end of the day, what matters most is what I do in the car," Perez added.
Earlier this week, Spanish outlet MARCA wrote that the 34-year-old driver will remain in the seat next season alongside Verstappen. According to the latest rumour, Perez is said to have signed a new lucrative sponsorship deal.