Sergio Perez has decided to stay with Red Bull for more time. He signed a new contract that will keep him with the Formula 1 team until 2026.
His old contract was going to end after this season. Some people thought he might leave because he wasn’t as fast as his teammate, Max Verstappen, who is the defending champion.
Perez, who is 34 years old and from Mexico, hasn’t won a race since April 2023. But he’s known for his good defense while racing, especially when he helped Verstappen win his first title in Abu Dhabi in 2021. This season, Verstappen is leading with 169 points, and Perez is in fifth place with 107 points.
“I want to thank everyone for trusting me. I’ll do my best to get good results,” Perez said in a statement from the team. “We have a lot of work to do, and we want to win more championships together.”
Next year, Lewis Hamilton, who has won the championship seven times, will leave Mercedes and join Ferrari. That means Red Bull might be the only top team to keep the same drivers in 2025.
Perez’s new contract also means he’ll race under new rules in 2026. The cars will rely more on electricity in their engines.
“Our team is happy to continue working with Checo. It’s important to have the same drivers for a while,” said Christian Horner, who leads the team.
Perez has been with Red Bull since 2021. He has won five races with them and one more with Racing Point in 2020.
