"I have achieved everything without any gifts" - Sergio Perez not expecting any favours from Red Bull at Mexican GP
Sergio Perez has said he does not need any favours from Red Bull at his home race in Mexico this weekend.
This weekend, F1 comes to Mexico, marking the second straight year Perez will have a car capable of fighting for a win. The Red Bull driver has picked up wins in Monaco and Singapore this season and is contending with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to finish P2 in the championship.
Watching @SChecoPerez drive the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez of the @mexicogp with his eyes closed is pure art.
He's even nailing the shifts!
#MexicoGP #F1
https://t.co/VUGiRIeJsr
In a pre-race press conference with Max Verstappen, Perez was asked if he was expecting any favours from Red Bull and his teammate in his home race. The Mexican said that he has spent his career without taking any favours and is not expecting anything of that sort this weekend either. He told ESPN:
"I don't need to be given anything, I have achieved everything without any gifts for so many years. In the end, I don't think about it. I think about my job, about being perfect this weekend, and looking for that victory. You need to be mentally very strong to be a teammate of Max at Red Bull. It is not a place that anyone on the grid could occupy, so I am happy, and I am proud of what I have achieved with the equipment at my disposal."
Verstappen was also asked if he would give up a win for Perez, to which he replied that both Red Bull drivers will look to do the best job possible and be competitive. He said:
"Well, he knows what he has to do to finish second; he has to finish ahead of Charles. As a team, we always try to be first and second and as a driver, I want to win more races. I still want to win the races, so I'm here to do the best I can."
The two-time champion continued:
"It's a bit more relaxing, but I know that once I sit in the car, I always want the best. He is anyway outscoring Charles (in that case), so that's all he needs. Let's see. Anyway, first we have to be that competitive. We don't know yet."
This is @SChecoPerez. 🇲🇽
What a journey so far…. playerstribu.ne/Perez https://t.co/N4LFO0cSli
While Verstappen (391) has clinched his second-straight title, second-placed Leclerc (267) leads Perez by two points with three races to go.
Milestones await both Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen this weekend
Both Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen could achieve a milestone if they win the Mexican GP this weekend.
Verstappen will break a tie with Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher for most wins (13) in a season. The Dutchman has three races to claim the record outright, with the Mexican GP providing him the first opportunity to do so.
Sergio Perez, meanwhile could become the first Mexican to win the Mexican GP. Mexico doesn't have much of a history in F1, but Sergio Perez has proven himself to be one of the flagbearers for the country.
He will break new ground this weekend if he crosses the chequered flag first. It remains to be seen if either Red Bull driver reigns supreme or Ferrari's Charles Leclerc or Mercedes would have other ideas.