Mexico’s Sergio Perez will remain with Red Bull in 2022 as Max Verstappen’s teammate, the team confirmed on Friday.
Former Racing Point driver Perez replaced Alex Albon at the team this year and won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in what has been an up and down debut season at Red Bull.
The one-year extension will keep him at Red Bull for the big rule change coming into force next year, which F1 hopes will help level the playing field and shake up the competitive order.
Friday’s news means Italian Grand Prix winner Pierre Gasly is all but certain to stay with Red Bull junior team AlphaTauri for another season.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner praised Perez, who is known as Checo in the paddock, for the instant impact he had on the team this year.
« Checo is a highly respected Team member and his experience and race-craft are invaluable as we fight for the Constructors’ Championship, » Horner said. « His integration into the wider team has been seamless and we have been impressed by his performances during the first half of the season which demonstrate what he’s capable of in our car.
« Next year we move into a new era of Formula One with completely revised regulations and cars, and with over 200 races and a decade of experience under his belt, Checo will play an integral role in helping the Team navigate this transition and maximise the RB18. Our current attention is on ending the 2021 season as strongly as possible and we look forward to seeing Checo build on a first successful season with the team. »
Perez said he is relishing the opportunity to continue in competitive machinery for another season.
Sergio Perez said: « I’m really happy to be continuing with a great team like Red Bull into the new era of Formula One and it’s a great opportunity for me. Everyone starts from zero next year with the new regulations, so my only goal is to go all the way to the top with Red Bull. It always takes time to get on top of everything when you join a new team but things have worked well this season and I really enjoy being a part of the Red Bull family.
« We’ve been working hard to deliver results so it’s great to see the Team have faith in me for the future. We have so much more to achieve together and we still have a great challenge on our hands this season so I really hope we can finish the year on a high and carry that momentum into 2022.
« I want to thank all my supporters around the world and especially those in Mexico. From my sponsors to my fans, they have been so enthusiastic since I joined Red Bull so I really hope we can reward them by reaching the top and winning the title. »
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/32094670/sergio-perez-stay-red-bull-2022
