Sergio Perez has talked about retiring following his lackluster 2024 campaign.
Driver Sergio Perez of Red Bull acknowledged that he considered retiring from Formula One this season, but he quickly put the thought out of his mind and is now solely focused on finishing out his contract with the team.
Although Perez signed a new contract with Christian Horner’s team in June, he is currently eighth in the Drivers’ Championship and has less than half of his teammate Max Verstappen’s point total. Perez will be under contract until 2027.
Red Bull has demonstrated its willingness to let go of underperforming drivers by selecting Liam Lawson to replace Daniel Ricciardo at sister team VCARB. This move may have served as an audition for the New Zealander to race alongside Verstappen in the future.
There won’t be many options left for the 34-year-old Perez if Lawson makes an impression, as he did before Ricciardo defeated him to win a seat on the VCARB.
But retirement is out of the question—at least for the time being. “I did consider it (leaving F1) over the last six months, but it took me three seconds to decide,” Perez said to DAZN. Ultimately, giving up and quitting would be the simple option after so many years. For that, I could never have forgiven myself.
“I want to end my career on my own terms, not at the behest of others. My primary goal is to reach the point where I can make decisions about my future. To be honest, I am highly motivated right now and I truly want to stay in Formula One. It’s fun for me. Particularly during theenjoyable moments, but you also learn to appreciate.
But as he competes in the latter stages of his career, Perez did acknowledge that “the end is getting closer.” Despite his difficulties—which now include Verstappen—the veteran has Horner’s support and has dismissed talk of trying to emulate Fernando Alonso.
Although Perez doesn’t think the 43-year-old Aston Martin driver will stay in the sport for another ten years, he does seem to be preparing for a new chapter under Adrian Newey.
“Although two years in Formula One is a long time, I have two more years left on my contract, and I know that the end is drawing near,” he continued. “I don’t think I’ll be racing here like, say, Fernando, who I think is amazing for all that he accomplishes at his age.
Not because I wouldn’t like to, but because I want to spend a lot more time with my small children. They will ultimately be the constraining factor.
Leave a Reply