Max Verstappen gives honest verdict on Sergio Perez's new Red Bull contract
Max Verstappen has broken his silence on Sergio Perez's new extension at Red Bull.
Max Verstappen has expressed relief that Sergio Perez's contract with Red Bull was extended as he gave his first verdict on the announcement. The decision to retain Perez was made ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix this week, confirming that Perez would remain Verstappen's teammate until 2026.
Since joining Red Bull in 2021, Perez has celebrated five wins but has been unable to seriously challenge his team-mate. However, Verstappen is happy that he will be racing alongside the 34-year-old for the foreseeable future.
He said: "It's great news that Checo has signed with the team until 2026 and I am glad to be able to continue with the successful partnership that we have created over the past few years.
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"We achieved a record-breaking season last year and the team is very strong, so we are looking forward to building on this success into the next two years as well."
Last year, Perez claimed second place in the drivers' championship for the first time, only securing half the points acquired by his fellow Red Bull driver. Currently, he stands at fifth place after the first eight races of this season and lags behind Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, and also Lando Norris from McLaren.
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Team principal Christian Horner has previously voiced his concerns about the strong driver line-ups at Ferrari and McLaren, highlighting the need for Perez to consistently score points and keep Red Bull competitive this season.
Speaking on Perez's contract extension, Horner expressed his confidence in the Mexican driver. He said: "Now is an important time to confirm our line-up for 2025 and we are very pleased to continue working together with Checo.
"Continuity and stability are important for the team and both Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first ever one-two finish for the team in the championship last year. Checo has had a strong start to 2024 with second places in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan and then his podium in China.
"The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see. Last year was a unicorn season and we will need to work hard to retain our titles, but we are assured in our line up and with the team as a whole, which is imperative in what is shaping up to be a close-fought championship this year."
