Sergio Perez is vowing to "over-deliver" after finally earning his big chance in a front-running team at Red Bull for 2021.
An impressive season last year saw the Mexican secure fourth in the Drivers' Championship, despite missing two races due to Covid-19 and retiring from two others.
His year also included his long-awaited maiden Grand Prix win in Bahrain, and after a tough year for Alex Albon, Red Bull mad the call to look outside their driver stable for the first time since 2007.
“It’s a fantastic brand. Of all the teams in Formula 1, I thought there was no chance for me to join it because I wasn’t part of the junior programme, but when the opportunity came I took it," Perez said on his first day at the team.
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“It’s a dream come true. When I put my Red Bull shirt on or drink a can, I think ‘wow, this is the brand I drive for!’
“It’s amazing and hard to imagine. It’s an opportunity I have worked so hard for – for more than 15 years. I think it’s come at the right time, I’m ready for that and I will grab it with both hands.”
Perez's ability has never really been in doubt having made a big impact with Sauber in 2012 with three podiums before scoring another seven, including that Sakhir GP win, across seven years at Force India/Racing Point.
But now with a car that offers him the chance to regularly race at the front, the 31-year-old is eager to capitalise.
“I am always pushing to the maximum and last year I finally had a car that I could show a bit more and people saw what I am capable of, but now is my big opportunity,” he stated.
“I have to go on to the next step in all aspects and I think I’m ready for it. The only thing I was lacking was the opportunity. Now I have it, it’s up to me to make it work.
“I’m going to make sure I over-deliver. If we have a car that can win the Championship, I’ll make sure we win it. If not, and we only have a car that’s good enough for third, I will make sure we finish second.”
Of course, joining Red Bull now means Perez faces the task of doing what those before him rarely could, compete with new teammate Max Verstappen.
“We all know Max, how talented, how fast, how much he has grown in the past year, how complete he is by now. So he’s definitely one of the best and one of the fastest, if not the fastest out there in the current grid," Checo acknowledged.
“So it’s a massive challenge, in a way. He’s been here a long time, he knows what he needs from the car. But it’s a great challenge and I look forward to working with him and pushing forward together as a team.”
