Sergio Perez responds to Yuki Tsunoda statement of intent as Red Bull rumours intensify

Despite signing an extension with Red Bull Racing, Sergio Perez has been in hot water, as rumors swirl about potential replacements — including Yuki Tsunoda. But the Mexican racer has had a strong response to the rumors.

During pre-race media, Perez acknowledged that “a lot of drivers” want his seat, but that he’s fully committed to improving his pace at Red Bull Racing.

Sergio Perez: “It’s good to have high ambitions”

Speaking to media ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Sergio Perez was asked how he felt about VCARB driver Yuki Tsunoda expressing that he felt he deserves Checo’s seat at Red Bull Racing. The Mexican driver had a very democratic response.

“I think a lot of drivers out there will love to have my seat,” Perez said. “It’s one of the top seats.

“It’s normal for Yuki to want to move up. When you’re in a lower seat, you want to move up. That is part of the nature of the sport.

“I’ve got nothing against it.

“I think it’s good to have high ambitions in the sport.”

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Perez kicked off the 2024 Formula 1 season in strong form. In the first five races, Perez was on the podium four times.

Retirements in Monaco and Canada, though, seemed to precipitate a drop in performance. Perez has struggled in qualifying, and his brutal 17th-place finish at Silverstone seemed to suggest the pressure was on.

Perez, though, denies that this pressure is any different than what he faced last year.

“It was the same last year, where I had to deliver, I had to make sure that it was the first year in the history of the team to finish one-two,” Perez told media.

“There’s always pressure, different sort of pressures, but at the end of the day, it’s always the same: You have to deliver.

“Everyone here, we all have to deliver.

“But like I say, I know I will look when I’m in Abu Dhabi and see what sort of season I had.”

Perez, then, is confident he’ll make it to the end of the season, even as current rumors suggest that the RBR racer will need to really punch up the pace in order to satisfy the performance clause that will guarantee him his seat.

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