In response to Sergio Perez, both he’ll be sitting within the cockpit of a Purple Bull subsequent yr, or sitting on his couch at residence, with the Mexican driver telling the media forward of the Bahrain Grand Prix that he wasn’t enthusiastic about pursuing drives in different sequence outdoors of Components 1, or with different F1 groups, in 2021.
Perez found out ahead of the Tuscan Grand Prix that he would get replaced on the Racing Level squad for 2021 by present Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, leaving him scrambling to get himself an F1 seat for subsequent yr. However after being linked with a possible drive at Williams, Perez confirmed forward of the Bahrain race that there was now just one choice on the grid accessible to him subsequent yr: replacing Alex Albon at Red Bull.
OPINION: 2020 has been Sergio Perez’s most trying season – and yet he’s never driven better
“Proper now, we’re simply ready on the choice, what [Red Bull] determine to do, in order that’s out of my palms,” mentioned Perez. “I am simply approaching these three races as ordinary, attempting to give attention to the job, maintain delivering and the remaining is out of my palms.
“There’s just one choice,” added Perez, when requested if he was contemplating drives with every other groups. “I’ve mentioned it earlier than, however I have been right here so a few years, I wish to maintain going; I believe I am on the peak of my profession, however I additionally wish to maintain going with a cause, with a plan, with venture, so I believe if there’s not venture to maintain my motivation to present 100%, I would quite not take it.”
Perez wasn’t joking both, with the Mexican – who at the moment sits fourth within the drivers’ standings, having solely been outscored within the final seven races by the Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas – saying that Plan B if he didn’t get the Purple Bull drive could be a yr with none motorsport in any respect.
“If I haven’t got Components 1, I do not see myself doing anything,” he mentioned. “I am clear on what I wish to do: Plan A is to hold on and Plan B might be to cease for a yr, see how I really feel with out racing, see if I actually miss it, if I actually wish to come again or if there’s different sequence that I am enthusiastic about doing or if I would quite simply do one thing else and keep away from motorsport. I’ll have a yr to consider what I actually wish to do.
READ MORE: Perez says if he ends up leaving F1, he can do so with ‘a lot of pride’
“I’ve a whole lot of pursuits in different stuff away from racing,” he added. “I [saw] myself afterward doing different companies away from motorsport however not in my 30s – but when that comes early, then I am blissful to contemplate that choice as properly. I’ve received clearly my household, I wish to see my children rising, and so many different issues. So yeah, I can think about a life with out motorsport.”
In the meantime, Perez has three races left to cement his fourth place within the drivers’ standings, with the Racing Level driver at the moment simply three factors forward of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and 4 away from Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo. Perez’s administration workforce, although, will presumably be eager to level out his present 30-point benefit over Purple Bull’s Albon, regardless of Perez having missed two races this season on account of Covid.
