At his home F1 race, the Mexico City Grand Prix, Sergio Perez has promised to do “everything” to make Mexico “smile.”
The 34-year-old intends to “shut out the noise off track” ahead of what is sure to be a hectic weekend.
At the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the Red Bull driver plans a comeback to the podium, even if he has only finished on four podiums this season—none since the Chinese Grand Prix in April.
Perez is under tremendous pressure to succeed in Mexico because he has struggled to sustain form for a large portion of the 2024 Formula One season, comparable to last year.
He only made it through one corner of the Mexico City Grand Prix a year ago. Perhaps overly envious, he made a mistake that seriously hurt his RB19 going into Turn 1.
With his Red Bull seat and F1 career up in the air this season, the Mexican enters a weekend with more pressure.
“Mexico is the biggest weekend of the season for me and every year it seems to get bigger,” Perez said. “I think this week might be a little strange because I felt at home even in Austin!
“The ability to block out distractions and concentrate on the task at hand is crucial. Delivering another podium at home for my supporters and my nation would be the most memorable thing for me in the end.
Despite having a strong start to 2024, the six-time Grand Prix winner has since been unable to replicate his early-season success.
His crew has been struggling to comprehend and balance the RB20, which has contributed to their relative slowness.
Recent advancements, however, have improved the vehicle. Perez is still lagging behind teammate Max Verstappen and this hasn’t translated into improved performance for him yet.
He is determined, though, and this weekend he wants to make Mexico proud.
“The car was coming to us a little over the weekend in the US, but there’s still a lot we need to understand,” he continued.
“We need to work on those problems so that we can compete on a completely different track in Mexico City. I was having some trouble with balance.
“I will do everything I can to make my country smile come Sunday evening.”
