Sergio Pérez has announced that he will leave Racing Point at the end of this season.
- The Mexican driver joined the team in 2014 back when it was known as Force India, after two seasons at Sauber, and one with McLaren.
- He has achieved five podiums and scored 486 points with the Silverstone-based team, finishing a career best 7th in the drivers' championship in 2016 and 2017.
- Perez confirmed the news himself via Twitter, fuelling suspicions that his team has lined up 4-time world champion, Sebastian Vettel for 2021.
This evening, Sergio Pérez announced that he would be parting ways with his team of 7 years at the end of the current season. The news has come amidst speculation that Racing Point - which will become Aston Martin from next season - has been trying to sign Sebastian Vettel as the team enter a new era.
The Mexican driver took to Twitter to make his announcement, making it clear that he would stay in Formula One next year should the right opportunity come up:
"I don't have a plan B. My intention is to continue racing here, but that would depend on finding a project that motivates me to continue giving my 100 percent on each lap.
"I hope I can give you some good news real soon, but for now, let's enjoy together the next races."
It would be wrong not to mention the great deal Pérez has done for the team over the years, both on and off track. While the team was in the middle of its financial crisis in 2018, he played a key role in leading the team into the administration process which allowed the takeover that saved many jobs:
"It hurts a bit as I bet on the team during very rough times; we managed to overcome obstacles and I am very proud of saving the jobs of several of my team-mates.
"I'll keep the memories of the great moments lived together, the friendships and the satisfaction of always giving my all. I will always be grateful for the opportunity given to me Vijay Mallya, who believed in me in 2014 and allowed me to continue my F1 career with Force India.
"To the current administration, led by Lawrence Stroll, I wish nothing but the best for the future, specially with the upcoming Aston Martin project."
Racing Point team boss, Otmar Szafnauer thanked Pérez in a statement made later by his team:
"Checo has been part of the Silverstone family for seven years and in that time has become one of the most complete drivers on the grid. Blisteringly quick on Saturday and Sunday, he's established his reputation as a tenacious racer and together we have enjoyed some fantastic moments.
"If there was ever a sniff of a podium, Checo was ready to pounce, and those five podiums represent some of the finest days in the history of this team. Outside of the car, Checo is a true character and a good friend, and it's been a pleasure working with him for such a long time. Although we will say goodbye at the end of the year, there are still nine races to go and plenty of opportunities for Checo to make some more special memories with this team."
In terms of finding out where his career goes from here, it seems that we will need to be patient. There are still seats available on next year's grid, with the more likely suitors being Alfa Romeo or Haas. There is still a free seat at Mercedes, although it is widely expected that Lewis Hamilton will stay on at the Silver Arrows.
As Pérez himself alluded to, should the right opportunity come along, he would be very happy to continue in the sport. He has become a very complete driver with strong qualifying and race pace, able to score points consistently, and would certainly be an asset to both Alfa Romeo and Haas.
What then of his replacement? Vettel is no doubt favourite for the Aston Martin seat, but will likely hold off from signing anything firm until any chance of landing a drive with Mercedes has well and truly gone. Watch this space.
