Sergio Perez believes he is in a “very comfortable position” at Red Bull and therefore has “no reason to look elsewhere” for a new seat in 2022.
After his former team Aston Martin triggered a break clause in his contract to acquire Sebastian Vettel, the Mexican was drafted in to replace Alex Albon for 2021 on a one-year deal.
Perez has moved up to fifth in the drivers’ standings thanks to an inherited maiden victory in Baku, which came after teammate Max Verstappen’s tyre failure and Lewis Hamilton’s brake bias mistake.
Perez said he was confident in his ability to keep his seat ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend, which follows a four-week summer break before the Belgian Grand Prix.
He went on to say that he will have a better understanding of his future with Red Bull after the race in Spa on August 29, and that he had “no reason” to start talking to other teams before then.
Perez said: “Obviously, the sooner you know your future the better. But I’m in a very comfortable position within the team, within my future.
“[There is] nothing to worry about. I think by Belgium, I will know my future.
“I’m comfortable with how things are and [there’s] no reason to look elsewhere.”
Perez stated that he is “pretty high” going into the Hungary weekend after a “total disaster” at Silverstone, where he crashed in the sprint qualifying session and then placed 16th in the grand prix after a late pitstop to prepare for setting the fastest lap.
However, Perez felt that the British round was his “poorest weekend” of the season, despite the fact that he had generally “brought a lot” to the team.
He went on to say that “very small” gains might “change” his season following a lack of points and a lower position in the drivers’ standings than he expected.
Asked for a half-term report, Perez said: “The overall picture, I would have liked to be bigger in points, wins, in podiums.
“But generally speaking, I think I’ve brought a lot with the team. [It] was a target in the first couple of races to get to know each other and the car.
“Overall, results have been not great in one way. But in the other, the pace is better than it looks.
“It’s very small margins here and there. If we are able to find them, all of a sudden, our season can be transformed. In that perspective, it’s really good.
“We are [seven] points away from third [Lando Norris] in the [drivers’] championship, we are leading the constructors’.
“There are some positives to take. But it’s only 10 races into the season. I think the next 10 are more important.”
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