‘I know I’ve had a terrible season’ - Perez

Sergio Perez says he knows he has “had a terrible season” in 2024 as he looks to turn his form around in front of his home crowd at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Red Bull Racing signed Perez to a new two-year contract to cover 2025 and 2026 after this season’s Monaco Grand Prix, at which point he had 107 points to his name. Perez has added just 43 points across the following 11 races and not finished higher than sixth, and he hopes to replicate his podium finishes from 2021 and 2022 in Mexico to try and kickstart a stronger finish to the year. “I know I’ve had a terrible season, a very difficult one,” Perez said. “It started really well, but it’s been really, really difficult. And for me, if I get a strong result, it can definitely change my season massively in terms of feeling, personal feelings. So I’m really up for it. “I think that moment will stay with me forever, having my son up there with me on the podium, watching me. It’s something that I hope he remembers forever. If not, I’ll have the picture at least to show him when he’s older. And those moments, I think, are the ones that really matter to me. And I hope I can repeat that one this weekend.”   Perez was fighting for a podium result in Azerbaijan last month before a final lap crash with Carlos Sainz took both cars out of the race, and he says it could have marked a turning point but he still can’t get comfortable with his RB20. “I think momentum in Formula 1 is very important — when you just put the car on track and you know that everything is working and you are further ahead of the people that put the car on track and have a lot of problems. “I think it’s the same for everyone, but I also know how this sport works and it’s all about your last race. So if I get a good one here… I got a good one in Baku, but it didn’t work out. If I get a good one here, then my season can definitely take a U-turn. “Most important is that we are able to feel comfortable with the car. At the moment we are just not able to unlock the full potential of the car. We come to the weekends trying a lot of different things, and so that just makes the whole grand prix a lot more difficult.”