Perez has ‘no doubt’ Aston Martin can fight leading teams

Racing Point driver Sergio Perez says he has “no doubt” that the squad can compete among the front-runners when revised regulations and a budget cap is introduced.

Formula 1 teams face an annual spending limit of $145m from 2021 while overhauled regulations will be introduced a year later, having been delayed due to the pandemic.

Racing Point, under its Force India guise, finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship across 2016/17, with Perez having taken five podiums since joining in 2014.

Racing Point slipped to seventh in 2018, having been stripped of its pre-summer points due to the nuances of its Lawrence Stroll-led takeover, and repeated the position last season having been initially hamstrung by the knock-on effect of its financial situation.

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Racing Point will morph into a semi-works effort under the Aston Martin name from next year with Perez contracted to the team until 2022.

“Certainly the team is in a good shape, a good position for the future,” said Perez.

“I think everyone saw what we managed to do in the past with such a limited budget, we were extremely successful.

“I think now everything is ready in the team to welcome Aston Martin and definitely make the next step.

“It has to be a huge step obviously to fight with the top three, with the big teams, but with the cost cap that should bring everyone more together I have no doubt we will be able to challenge them.”

Perez’s team-mate Lance Stroll echoed his sentiments but stressed that Racing Point remains fully focused on its 2020 campaign.

“I think there’s great potential going forward,” he said.

“The team’s in a great place, there’s a lot of things to look forward to, a bright future ahead in my opinion, and that’s very exciting for everyone and the energy in the team is better than it’s ever been.

“But we’re here right now, in Austria, it’s great to be back racing, and we have a big season ahead of us so my sights are set on this season.”