Perez labels his 2024 F1 season as “terrible”

Ahead of his home race, the Mexico City Grand Prix, Red Bull F1 driver Sergio Perez has acknowledged that he has endured a “terrible” season in 2024, but he pins hopes on a strong end to the season.

Having clinched three podium finishes in the opening four rounds, Sergio Perez displayed a very strong performance at the start of the 2024 F1 season. However, with the competition gearing up its pace, the Mexican started to struggle to match his team-mate Max Verstappen’s performance level.

At the start of the European leg of the season, the six-time F1 race winner often failed to reach the last segment of qualifying, which meant that he spent the majority of races in the mid-field.

Ahead of his home race at Mexico City, Perez has conceded that he has endured a “terrible” season so far, but he hopes that he can end the current year on a high.

“I know I’ve had a terrible season, a very difficult one. It started really well, but it’s been really, really difficult. And for me, you know, if I get a strong result, it can definitely change my season massively in terms of feeling, personal feelings.

“So I’m really up for it. And, yeah, I think that moment will stay with me forever, you know, having my son up there with me on the podium, watching me. It’s something that I hope he remembers forever.

“If not, I’ll have the picture at least to show him when he’s older, you know. And those moments, I think, is the ones that really matter to me. And I hope I can repeat that one this weekend.

Asked whether he believes in momentum, Perez insisted that the most important thing for a race driver is to feel comfortable with the car.

“I think momentum in Formula 1 is very important, when you just put the car on track and you know that everything is working and you are so further ahead of the people that put the car on track and have a lot of problems.

“I think it’s the same for everyone, but I also know how this sport works and it’s all about your last race. So if I get a good one here… I got a good one in Baku, but it didn’t work out. If I get a good one here, then my season can definitely take a U-turn.

“The most important is that we are able to feel comfortable with the car, which at the moment we are just not able to unlock the full potential of the car and we come to the weekends trying a lot of things different things every weekend and so that so it makes just the whole Grand Prix a lot more difficult,” Perez noted.