Sergio Perez has warned former teammate Esteban Ocon that taking a year off the Formula 1 grid is a “risky move” for his career.
The Frenchman had little choice over his future following his axe at the renamed Racing Point team to accommodate the arrival of Lance Stroll and after failing to secure a seat will instead be on the sidelines as a Mercedes reserve.
While it is thought a rapid return in 2020 is more than likely, Perez admits the stock Ocon had at the end of 2018 may not have the same value a year later without a regular race seat, particularly with another young talent in George Russell at Williams.
“Definitely. It definitely can hurt him more than it can benefit him,” the Mexican told Motorsport.com. “Formula 1 is evolving so much year by year. You never know what the future will hold.”
What Perez does acknowledge, however, is Ocon’s ability and that he could still make arguably the biggest return there is in today’s F1.
“He is in a great position with Mercedes. He definitely deserves a seat in Formula 1, he is one of the best drivers in this sport,” he stated.
“But I think a year out of this can change so much. Maybe he comes back and drives for Mercedes, but you never know what the future will hold.
“So, it is a risky move.”
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- Perez ignores qualifying loss to Ocon in 2018: I was better in the races
Interestingly, despite his praise, Perez made an interesting admission when comparing Ocon to his previous partners.
“I rate quite highly all my teammates,” said the 28-year-old. “They are all different but the one that I rate the most is [Nico] Hulkenberg.
“I think Esteban is there, he is in that group, he is lacking some maturity still, but I think that will come with time.”