Sergio Perez has put to bed speculation that he could lose his Red Bull drive at the end of this year, insisting that he will “100%” remain with the team in 2024.
Since winning two of the opening four races, Perez has endured a nightmare campaign, dropping 209 points behind team-mate Max Verstappen, who secured the title in Qatar.
Verstappen’s points total alone would be enough to retain Red Bull’s advantage at the top of the Constructors’ Championship, with Perez coming under increasing threat of losing second place in the Drivers’ standings.
That has prompted repeated reports during the year that Perez, who has a contract through 2024, could even be dropped by Red Bull at the conclusion of this season.
However, speaking ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, the Mexican has dispelled rumours that could materialise.
“There’s nothing I can do [about the stories], I’m fully focused on my job,” Perez said. “That really sums up my season: a guy says something about me and all of a sudden it becomes true.
“But I have a contract for next year and I have no reason to not fulfil that contract. I’m going to give my very best to it, I’ve done a commitment, but it will not be my final contract in Formula 1.”
Asked if he was certain he would stay at Red Bull next season, Perez replied: “100%.”
Pressed on whether it was individual conversations with Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko that provided him that confidence, he reiterated: “I have a contract and conversations with the team as well. There is no reason for me not to fulfil that contract.”
But having declared that his current deal will not be his last in F1, Perez was queried on the possibility of seeking a future outside the Red Bull motorsport stable down the line.
“I’m not thinking on that,” he retorted. “But I’m just enjoying it at the moment, I’m loving the challenge of getting back out of it [the recent slump].
“I’m 33, I think I’ve got some good years ahead of me. As an athlete, you want to maximise your career. That’s important to me and that’s my focus.”
Although Perez added “I’m with Red Bull and I want to stay with Red Bull, he admitted that “obviously it has to work out for both sides.”
Perez previously revealed that he has hired a mental coach to avoid the negative energy stemming from his poor run on the track impacting his relationships back home.
However, Perez has denied that he is contemplating an abrupt retirement amid recent rumours surfacing online that he could opt to walk away from F1 entirely.
“It’s not ideal when you go through a difficult period of your career,” he summarised. “But I just love the challenge of getting back at it.
“The easiest thing would be to just walk out of it. But that’s not me, that’s not who I am, and I will not give up.
“I have zero doubts about being back to my best level and that is my only target that I have in mind. I don’t even think about retirement or anything like that because that’s just the easy route.”
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