What’s the toughest job in Formula 1? There are many candidates but ‘Max Verstappen’s team mate’ has to be among them.
Sergio Perez has the unenviable task of going up against one of the brightest talents in the sport. It’s a role he arrived at after nearly being forced out of the competition in 2020.
Having signed a three-year deal with Racing Point, Perez was cast out two years early to make way for Sebastian Vettel. Then, after the final race of that year, Perez was handed a lifeline at Red Bull.
But it came with the price of being measured against arguably the best in the business. This season Perez has found himself increasingly falling by wayside as his team mate hurtles towards a second world championship title.
Perez arrived in F1 with the backing of the Ferrari Driver Academy. He parted with them at the end of 2012 when, after his first two seasons at Sauber, he joined McLaren. But his 2013 season disappointed, up against 2009 world champion Jenson Button, and Perez was soon on the move again, to Force India.
That proved the beginning of a long spell at the team until it was taken over by Lawrence Stroll, in a deal brought about partly at Perez’s instigation when it hit financial trouble in 2018. But despite inking a new deal with the rebranded Racing Point team, he was pushed aside in 2020.
Swooping in to sign him, Red Bull placed Perez in their line-up last season. He took one win for them in Azerbaijan and four further podium finishes to put himself fourth in the drivers’ championship.
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Early in the season Perez learned he would be entrusted for a second year. His 2022 campaign began strongly.
He ticked off his first career pole position in the second round of the season at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, though the timing of a Safety Car period spoiled his race. He took an impressive win at a damp Monaco after being put under immense pressure by the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz Jnr over the final laps.
Prior to that Red Bull had already announced a contract extension for Perez – significantly, a multi-year one.
“For us, holding onto his pace, race craft and experience was a no-brainer and we are delighted that Checo will continue to race for the team until 2024,” stated team principal Christian Horner at the time. “In partnership with Max, we believe we have a driver pairing that can bring us…
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