Perez: "It was immediately clear that Force India was in financial trouble"

When Sergio Perez joined the then Force India in 2014, he really found out how big the team's money problems were. In 2013 he drove for McLaren, where the facilities were very good. The transition to the inferior Force India was big. In an interview with Motorsport-Total.com he talks about his first impression of the team, which now goes under the name of Racing Point.

"It was clear from the first day I joined the team. Of course I came from McLaren and the first time I visited the Force India factory it was an immediate shock. I saw the shortages they had". Perez finally managed to help the team in the right direction by taking several podiums during his time with the team.

Enormously successful

It was a difficult situation for the Mexican, because the money shortages were very obvious. "The financial problems were clear from the start, but I think the people who work there are extremely talented. In my third race with the team I was already on the podium". So despite the noticeable shortages, the team was not inferior to the direct competition with a higher budget. For Perez it was a surprise that he ended up being with the team for so long.

"I never thought that I would be on the team for so long, because until now I have extended each year by another year and every year I thought it would be my last. Looking back, it's an incredible journey we've made. There have been highs and lows, but we've been hugely successful," Perez looks back on the period of Force India, where he took the podium five times.