Sergio Pérez looked back on one of the most significant episodes of his career: his eviction from the Aston Martin team, even though he had played a decisive role in its rescue shortly before.
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Arriving at Force India in 2014, the Mexican was one of the pillars of the team when it was plunged into a serious financial crisis in 2018, following the collapse of the Kingfisher group and the legal difficulties of its owner, Vijay Mallya.
To protect jobs and avoid the disappearance of the team, Pérez took the initiative to request its placement under judicial administration. This move paved the way for the team’s purchase by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, who renamed it Racing Point before it became Aston Martin two years later.
Evicted in good faith
Pérez stayed with the team alongside Lance Stroll, convinced he would be part of the new long-term project: “I had a three-year contract with the team, with several options. My future was supposed to be built with this team, in which I had spent a large part of my career and which I had helped save. I really thought I was part of this project with Lawrence and Lance.”
But plans changed when Sebastian Vettel, four-time world champion, became available after leaving Ferrari: “It was difficult. But when Sebastian became available, I understood how this sport works. A four-time world champion obviously represented a huge opportunity for Lawrence. He chose not to extend my contract and recruited Sebastian.”
Despite this decision, Pérez assures he holds no grudge against Aston Martin: “I told myself: there is no loyalty in this sport. I didn’t take it personally. I still maintain excellent relationships with the people who work at Aston Martin.”
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Saved by Red Bull
Rather than dwelling on this disappointment, the Mexican preferred to focus on his performance on track: “I asked myself what I could do. The only thing was to keep performing. If a good opportunity came up for the following year, I would seize it. Otherwise, I was ready to stay a season without racing before coming back.”
The real turning point finally came at the end of the 2020 season when he won the Sakhir Grand Prix, giving Racing Point its first Formula 1 victory – and the first for this outfit since Jordan’s success in 2003.
This success caught the attention of Red Bull, a destination Pérez never imagined joining: “The only team I thought I would never race for was Red Bull, because they have always favored their drivers from their academy. And in the end, I found myself at Red Bull.”
Within the Austrian team, Pérez has won five Grands Prix and played a major role in Max Verstappen’s first world title in 2021, notably thanks to his famous role as “defense minister” during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Dismissed by Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season, Pérez nevertheless found a seat in Formula 1 again in 2026 thanks to Cadillac, which was looking for a driver capable of bringing both speed and solid experience to accompany the American manufacturer’s debut in the discipline.
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