Perez wants no gifts from Verstappen: 'Already achieved so much without help'

Sergio Perez wants nothing more than to win the Mexican Grand Prix and the upcoming weekend may present the best opportunity of his Formula 1 career to make it happen. In doing so, the Mexican expects no gifts from his teammate Max Verstappen.

Perez dreams of home win in Mexico GP

Perez still wants to become world champion in the future, but if he has to choose between a world title and winning his home race, he currently chooses the latter. He thinks there is a good chance of succeeding in that this coming weekend. "Without a doubt, it's a real option," said the Mexican in conversation with ESPN. "It will depend on us how well we do, I think we are going to be competitive. I think we have a very good chance to dream of that victory."

Verstappen has already indicated he would not give his teammate anything as a gift if he himself was in the lead on the last lap of the race, but that is not how Perez himself would want it. Besides, he thinks he himself is capable of taking his home race to his name. "I don't need to be given anything, I've achieved everything without any gifts for so many years," he says confidently. He adds that it is up to himself to put down a perfect weekend.

Perez wants no gifts from Verstappen

Perez therefore fully understands his teammate's attitude. "We all want to win in the end," he continued. However, the Mexican does believe Verstappen would support him if the opportunity arose. He does not go into details, but possibly he is referring to a situation where he himself is in the lead and could use backing.

"I have no doubt that he will then do what I have done for him in the past," said Perez, who treated large numbers of fans to a show run with Red Bull Racing in his hometown of Guadalajara on Tuesday. On more than one occasion in the past, the Mexican has shown a knack for defending, doing a great service to his teammate, culminating in his battle with Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi 2021.