The F1 summer break is underway and all teams and drivers are having much required downtime from the sport. But the questions never stop. Reality follows the drivers, who are the face of the sport. One of the biggest personalities of F1 is Daniel Ricciardo and his return to AlphaTauri has put considerable pressure on Sergio Perez. But the latter has said that he no longer cares about all the external noise.
If you’re the 2nd RB driver, there is no such thing as mental peace. Chaos is what you’ll get if you miss your mark even by a fraction of a second. Such is Perez’s case. Ricciardo’s return to RB’s sister concern and his ambitions of replacing the Mexican at Red Bull in post-2024 made quite a lot of noise in the media. However, Perez is far from being insecure. In fact, he says that his 13 years of experience in F1 have taught him to be peaceful in the face of adversity.
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Perez said, “It’s part of being at the top of the sport, in the best team, and not winning all races. But I’m second in the World Championship and there’s still a long season ahead. I’m at peace.”
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“I’ve been in F1 for 13 years, I’ve seen it all already, that helps you to stay calm in that aspect, and to remember that we are here to enjoy what we do. It’s our dream, and the most important is to enjoy it, regardless of anything.”
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"It’s part of being at the top of the sport, in the best team and not winning all races. But I’m second in the World Championship and there’s still a long season ahead. I’m at peace"
He continues, “I’ve been in F1 for… pic.twitter.com/ToaaaSddxC
— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) August 8, 2023
When there is such a sense of calm in one’s mind, clarity follows. Precisely, Perez’s mental clarity is allowing him to be not just at peace but optimistic about the future.
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Sergio Perez Confident About Fighting For Victories In the 2nd Half of 2023
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It’s probably the worst season so far for Sergio Perez after he joined Red Bull. And his teammate, Max Verstappen‘s performance is as relentless as it gets. And the Dutchman’s showings have increased to such an extent that Perez, in the same car is finishing over 20 seconds short of him. But for the post-summer break races, the Guadalajara-born racer has said he’ll be fighting for victories again.
In a recent interview, Perez was asked about his plans for the 2nd half of the 2023 season. “Victories! I am not here to finish second,” he replied. “I’d rather be at home doing something else if that’s all I was aiming for. I am here because I know I can do it — and I’ve done it before.”
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For Perez, clarity has translated into optimism, and optimism into ambition. It seems he has finally done what was needed for a comeback – a positive change in mindset. Only time will tell if this mindset can help him turn ambition into concrete results on the racetrack.
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