Sergio Perez admitted that his 2024 Formula 1 campaign has been “terrible,” but that he and Red Bull are working towards improving his form ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, his home race.
While team-mate Max Verstappen leads the Drivers’ title race with 354 points, Perez is 204 points further back in eighth.
A run of just 19 points in five rounds has seen Red Bull slip to 40 points behind leaders McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship and into the clutches of Ferrari.
A one-two for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the United States Grand Prix means the Scuderia is just eight points behind Red Bull.
“Having Ferrari there, I think it doesn’t change anything,” Perez said on Thursday.
“We want to win the Constructors’, so finishing second or third in the end is no different.
“So we really want to win, and for that, we need to have both cars with the best possible performance and the best possible package as well.”
Red Bull’s standing in the Constructors’ rests hugely on Perez picking up his form with the Mexican failing to reach the podium since Round 5 in China.
Mexico can change my season ‘massively’ says Perez
Checo is well aware his form hasn’t been what is required of him at Red Bull, but knows that a strong result in front of his home fans this weekend can change everything.
“I know I’ve had a terrible season, a very difficult one,” he said.
“It started well but then it’s been difficult. And if I get a strong result [in Mexico] it can definitely change my season massively. So I’m really up for it.”
Turning his season around is vital not just for 2024, but for Perez’s prospects beyond that.
Despite having a contract with Red Bull for next year, Perez’s seat is up for grabs with RB’s Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda waiting to take his place alongside Verstappen in 2025.
Getting in Perez’s way is an inability to gel with his RB20, but since the Italian GP, the Mexican admitted he and the team are heading in the right direction.
“We’re working towards solving it,” Perez explained.
“We found a big issue in Monza. We thought we were going in the right direction. So we’re getting in the right direction.
“I think this is Formula 1. Sometimes the results are not coming and you just have to make sure you put your head down, you focus on the stuff that you can control and the rest is something that you cannot get bothered with.”
READ MORE: Red Bull to make call on Sergio Perez at end of 2024 F1 season
Discussion about this post