Formula 1 Mexican GP
Perez: "I know I've had a terrible season"
Under-fire Red Bull driver hopes to regain momentum at Mexican Grand Prix home race
Filip Cleeren
Edited: Oct 25, 2024, 6:07 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
2024 Mexican Grand Prix - Thursday
56
Red Bull Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez has acknowledged he has had a "terrible season" and is desperate to gift his Mexican home fans a big result this weekend.
Perez started the season in strong enough shape to earn a new two-year deal at Red Bull, but like last year his form tailed off dramatically from May onwards. Red Bull was forced to reconsider its options over the summer as it saw its constructors' championship lead slip away, with just one reliable podium finisher in Max Verstappen to count on, but kept the faith in the Mexican for the time being.
Read Also:
Perez was more much affected than Verstappen by some of the handling issues introduced to the 2024 RB20 car, and hasn't been on the podium since April.
But Red Bull has managed to find a much more benign car balance over the past few races, allowing Verstappen to take a sprint race win last week in Austin. Ahead of his home race in Mexico City, Perez is desperate to use Red Bull's improved car to build some momentum as he hopes to replicate the scene of 2021 when his infant son joined him on the podium.
"I know I've had a terrible season," he said. "It started really well, but it's been really, really difficult. If I had a strong result, it can definitely change my season massively in terms of personal feeling, so I'm really up for it.
"Having my son up there with me on the podium watching me, I think that moment will stay with me forever. It's something that I hope he remembers forever. Those moments, I think it's the ones that really matter to me. And I hope I can repeat that one this weekend."
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
Perez suggested his car was down on specification and performance in Austin compared to Verstappen's, and said Red Bull would need both cars to be on point if it is to have any chance to beat McLaren in the standings, even if a lot of the squad's constructors' championship headaches stem from having just Verstappen race up front for months.
"I think the numbers and facts will remain internal with the engineers, we know what the delta [difference] was," the 34-year-old said. "Having Ferrari there doesn't change anything. I think we want to win the constructors' title, finishing second or third in the end makes no difference.
"So, we really want to win it. For that, we need to have both cars with the best possible performance and best possible package as well."
Perez faces a new threat to his 2025 seat in the shape of the emerging Liam Lawson, who made a huge impression on Red Bull's management on his first race weekend back in Austin. Replacing Daniel Ricciardo at RB for the final six races of 2024, the 22-year-old New Zealander climbed from 19th to ninth at the US Grand Prix, overcoming a grid penalty to score valuable points.
Read Also:
"I think this is Formula 1. Sometimes the results are not coming, and you just have to make sure you keep your head down, you focus on the stuff that you can control and the rest is something that you cannot get bothered with," Perez insisted, dismissing enduring speculation over his future.
"I feel that I'm in the same boat as the team. We found a big issue in Monza, and after Monza we're heading the right direction."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article The story behind the "Goodbye Daniel Ricciardo" books of the U.S. Grand Prix
Next article Norris still disagrees with Austin F1 penalty: 'Verstappen went in too hard'
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Filip Cleeren
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 d
"It's horribly painful" - Williams drops 2026 car upgrades to benefit 2027
More from
Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez to skip F1 Mexico GP fan forum due to illness
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
16 d
Sergio Perez to skip F1 Mexico GP fan forum due to illness
Sergio Perez praises Colton Herta impact - but has no say over 2027 Cadillac F1 team-mate choice
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
16 d
Sergio Perez praises Colton Herta impact - but has no say over 2027 Cadillac F1 team-mate choice
The 10 key moments that defined Sergio Perez's F1 career
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
17 d
The 10 key moments that defined Sergio Perez's F1 career
More from
Red Bull Racing
Retaining Liam Lawson isn't enough – Red Bull must stop treating him like a failure
Formula 1
Formula 1 3 h
Retaining Liam Lawson isn't enough – Red Bull must stop treating him like a failure
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
Formula 1 2 d
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Latest news
Retaining Liam Lawson isn't enough – Red Bull must stop treating him like a failure
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 3 h
Retaining Liam Lawson isn't enough – Red Bull must stop treating him like a failure
Yamaha may not be competitive immediately in MotoGP's 850cc era, says Pramac
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
6 h
Yamaha may not be competitive immediately in MotoGP's 850cc era, says Pramac
You Ask The Questions: Jack Miller
MotoGP
Qatar GP
You Ask The Questions: Jack Miller
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe