Red Bull Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez has acknowledged he has had a "terrible season" and is desperate to gift his Mexican home fans a big result this weekend.
Perez started the season in strong enough shape to earn a new two-year deal at Red Bull, but like last year his form tailed off dramatically from May onwards. Red Bull was forced to reconsider its options over the summer as it saw its constructors' championship lead slip away, with just one reliable podium finisher in Max Verstappen to count on, but kept the faith in the Mexican for the time being.
Perez was more much affected than Verstappen by some of the handling issues introduced to the 2024 RB20 car, and hasn't been on the podium since April.
But Red Bull has managed to find a much more benign car balance over the past few races, allowing Verstappen to take a sprint race win last week in Austin. Ahead of his home race in Mexico City, Perez is desperate to use Red Bull's improved car to build some momentum as he hopes to replicate the scene of 2021 when his infant son joined him on the podium.
"I know I've had a terrible season," he said. "It started really well, but it's been really, really difficult. If I had a strong result, it can definitely change my season massively in terms of personal feeling, so I'm really up for it.
"Having my son up there with me on the podium watching me, I think that moment will stay with me forever. It's something that I hope he remembers forever. Those moments, I think it's the ones that really matter to me. And I hope I can repeat that one this weekend."
Perez suggested his car was down on specification and performance in Austin compared to Verstappen's, and said Red Bull would need both cars to be on point if it is to have any chance to beat McLaren in the standings, even if a lot of the squad's constructors' championship headaches stem from having just Verstappen race up front for months.
"I think the numbers and facts will remain internal with the engineers, we know what the delta [difference] was," the 34-year-old said. "Having Ferrari there doesn't change anything. I think we want to win the constructors' title, finishing second or third in the end makes no difference.
"So, we really want to win it. For that, we need to have both cars with the best possible performance and best possible package as well."
Perez faces a new threat to his 2025 seat in the shape of the emerging Liam Lawson, who made a huge impression on Red Bull's management on his first race weekend back in Austin. Replacing Daniel Ricciardo at RB for the final six races of 2024, the 22-year-old New Zealander climbed from 19th to ninth at the US Grand Prix, overcoming a grid penalty to score valuable points.
"I think this is Formula 1. Sometimes the results are not coming, and you just have to make sure you keep your head down, you focus on the stuff that you can control and the rest is something that you cannot get bothered with," Perez insisted, dismissing enduring speculation over his future.
"I feel that I'm in the same boat as the team. We found a big issue in Monza, and after Monza we're heading the right direction."
