Perez on new nickname: "Would rather be the minister of attack"

Sergio Perez is now also known as 'Minister of Defence' within Formula 1. The Red Bull Racing driver owes that title to holding up Lewis Hamilton at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, allowing Max Verstappen to take the world title. The Mexican feels honoured, although he might have preferred a different name.

"I prefer to be the minister of attack," Pérez laughed in an interview with his employer's official channels. "I really think I drive fairly. Of course I'm aggressive in the race, but I never just throw the door without pardon. I think you can definitely race wheel-to-wheel with me, which is quite nice. There are very few drivers with whom you can do that."

Almost F1 exit

Perez made the switch to Red Bull Racing in early 2021. The 32-year-old driver was without a seat at the time, having not been offered a contract extension at Racing Point. Perez was on the verge of a Formula 1 exit until he finished a handsome second in Turkey and managed to win the Sakhir GP. That Perez had to fear for his career in the king class of motorsport only makes him more grateful now.

"When you're no longer in Formula 1, you realise that time doesn't last forever and opportunities eventually run out. Then you perceive everything much more consciously than before. But the best part is that you can enjoy everything a lot more. Because you know how difficult some moments were," said Perez, who stated he also celebrates the smaller victories.

Perez praises Red Bull

Max Verstappen's teammate could not have wished for a better team with Red Bull. He has been heavily impressed in the last two years. "The team is really very strong. This is a fantastic racing team where everyone works together. In terms of mentality, everything is focused on victory, on the next big goal. That's really impressive."