Sergio Pérez: “Nothing indicates in my contract that I must finish 2nd”

Winner of the Monaco Grand Prix et recently extended by Red Bull until 2024, Sergio Pérez is a driver with full confidence as the Azerbaijan GP looms, of which he is the defending champion. The Mexican spoke about his state of mind at a press conference. “ Baku is a circuit in which confidence is essential. It is very easy to ruin your weekend here by making a mistake, it is very important to stay away from these troubles. I always liked Baku, I managed quite a few races there, even if I also had difficult times there. The Grands Prix are often hectic there. And it’s overall one of my favorite circuits on the calendar. I'll let you know Sunday evening if that's still the case!« 

Welcome Baku 😎 #AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 pic.twitter.com/9vOhkY7LOK

- Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) June 9, 2022

The Mexican obviously returned to the extension of his contract at Milton Keynes, a logical reward given the pace and impeccable state of mind, both on and off the track, displayed by the driver at number 11. “ We signed the Friday before the Monaco GP. Nothing in my contract says I have to finish 2nd, or anything like that. As a pilot, you need certainty and to relieve stress, so the sooner this matter is resolved, the better. It drains so much energy and concentration to be 100% during Grand Prix weekends that you don't want to think about all that. It was good to have agreed on this contract so early. We are only at the beginning of the championship, and a lot can still happen this season. »

Finally, Sergio Pérez spoke about his progress between his first season at Red Bull and the year 2022, where he manages to keep up with his teammate. Max Verstappen, reigning world champion. “ Last year was the final season of a technical regulation that had been there for a long time. So the team members who had been there for a long time were more comfortable. So it was very difficult for me to adapt to this car, to its philosophy, and to extract the maximum performance from it. It took me a while to adapt. At the end of the season, it was okay but it took me too long to adapt throughout the season. So starting from scratch was a good opportunity for everyone, especially for me with Red Bull. It made the situation better, knowing my engineers, the people around me. This is a good step forward. I feel comfortable with the car and am able to get the most out of it. »