13/01/2025
NEWS STORY
Sergio Perez to make decision on his future later in the year as he chooses to focus on his family for the time being.
Of course, dropped by Red Bull and with no other berths available the Mexican doesn't have much choice, unless one of this year's several rookies proves to be a Logan Sargeant, after all how many times have we seen champions in the lower formulae fail to make the grade in the "pinnacle of motorsport".
Claiming that he will make a decision on his future later in the year, Perez insists that for the time being he will focus on his family.
"My biggest motivation now is to take my children on a good path and be more present in their lives," he told a press conference in Mexico. "In F1, you only think about being a better driver, preparing yourself better, you don't have time for anything else."
Asked about a return to the grid, Perez - who remains an ambassador for the Red Bull brand - admitted that he didn't expect to be dropped by the Austrian team.
"Everything happened very quickly at the end of the season," he said. "I didn't expect to leave the team.
"It's too early to give an answer as to whether I intend to return to Formula 1," he added. "My priority is to enjoy myself, to do things I haven't done, to be with my family. In the next six months, I will make a decision on what I want for the next step in my career.
"For now, my biggest motivation is that I have a soccer tournament with Checo in three weeks," he continued, referring to his son, "and we are going to travel around Mexico. My biggest motivation is that we do well in his tournament, that I can enjoy it a lot with my son."
While his final season was a disaster, previously Perez had proven himself to be a winner, and his vast experience - not to mention the sponsors he brings with him - would surely be of benefit to the likes of Cadillac which intends to line up on the grid in 2026.
However, much as one can understand his need to make up for lost time with his family, surely his "biggest motivation" should be to discover what went wrong last year and target a return to the grid as soon as possible.