Sergio Perez confirmed as Max Verstappen’s teammate for 2022 as Red Bull accepts new F1 contract

Red Bull Lock Driver List For New F1 Era By Confirming Sergio Perez As Max Verstappen’s Teammate For 2022; Perez arrived this year as Verstappen’s third teammate in as many years

Sergio Perez will remain Max Verstappen’s teammate for 2022 after Red Bull confirmed a new contract for the Mexican driver.

Perez, 31, joined Red Bull this season as Verstappen’s third teammate in as many years, but has so far proven to be more consistent and reliable than his predecessors, helping the team in their quest for the title .

While he has only beaten Verstappen once in qualifying, Perez became the first Red Bull driver other than Verstappen to win a race since 2018 when he won the Azerbaijani GP, and is currently fourth in the championship.

Praising Perez and explaining the new deal, team boss Christian Horner said: “Next year we are entering a new era with completely revised regulations and cars, and with over 200 races. and a decade of experience under his belt, Checo will play a vital role. helping the team navigate this transition and maximize RB18. “

The contract extension seals Red Bull’s roster for F1’s all-new 2022 era and dash Pierre Gasly’s hopes of being recalled by the senior AlphaTauri squad, who are expected to retain Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda.

“Everyone is starting from scratch next year with the new rules, so my only goal is to get to the top with Red Bull,” added Perez. “It always takes a while to get everything under control when you join a new team, but things have worked out well this season and I really love being part of the Red Bull family.

“We’ve worked hard to get results so it’s great to see the team trust me for the future.”

There are now only four teams that have yet to confirm the two drivers for next season, including Mercedes, who are set to select one of Valtteri Bottas or George Russell to team up with Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull finds stability: why they stay with Perez

Since Daniel Ricciardo surprisingly left the team in 2018, Red Bull has been looking for a driver to both challenge Verstappen and consistently score points.

Gasly only had half a season before being made redundant, while Alex Albon – though impressive after stepping in mid-2019 as an F1 rookie – struggled the following year to leave Red Bull on the prowl again.

They went against their usual philosophy by opting for a driver outside the Red Bull program, and one with more experience, in Perez, on the back of his superb 2020 with Racing Point, as he won. his first F1 race victory.

It took a while to settle in but, especially on Sunday, it’s fair to say that Perez came as advertised, much closer to Verstappen in the race, able to give Mercedes a strategic conundrum by running close to the before.

With Red Bull finally landing on some stability, it’s no surprise to see them stick with Perez, especially with next season’s big rule changes expected to bring some uncertainty and a drastically different car.

“Checo is a highly respected member of the team and his experience and know-how is invaluable as we fight for the Constructors’ Championship,” said Horner.

“His integration into the extended squad went smoothly and we were impressed with his performance in the first half of the season, which shows what he is capable of in our car.”

Ahead of the Belgian GP, ​​Red Bull is just 12 points behind Mercedes in the constructors ‘standings, while Verstappen is eight points behind Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ title battle.

Verstappen has a Red Bull contract until the end of 2023.