Sergio Perez deserves Red Bull seat says the man who ousted him from Racing Point

Racing Point

Perez deserves Red Bull seat says the man who ousted him from Racing Point

In-form Mexican is without a seat for 2021

Ian Parkes

Monday 7 December 2020 11:17

Racing Point team owner Lawrence Stroll feels Sergio Perez has proven he deserves to be driving with Red Bull in 2021.

On his 191st grand prix start Perez finally chalked up his maiden F1 win - no driver in history has had to wait longer for a debut success - and became the first Mexican for 50 years since Pedro Rodriguez to take the chequered flag in the sport.

Remarkably, despite his stunning form this season, Perez is without a seat next year after Stroll took the decision to oust the 30-year-old in favour of Sebastian Vettel.

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Perez is now hoping Red Bull opt to partner him with Max Verstappen, with the team to choose between him and Alex Albon who has struggled this year.

Stroll would love to see his current driver in the second Red Bull seat and praised the Mexican's contribution to his team.

"Checo has been a fantastic asset," Stroll told Sky Sports F1. "He has been a fantastic asset to this team long before I arrived.

"I would love to see him...I think he most definitely proves every weekend he deserves to be in the car next year and I hope he is in that Red Bull next year."

Perez's victory from last on lap one after a collision with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was based on what Stroll feels were the solid foundations laid down by the Force India organisation he rescued from administration in August 2018, saving the jobs of 400 people.

After the biggest moment in the team's history, the Canadian paid tribute to that workforce. He said: "What people forget is that they were already a great team, which we purchased.

"They were 400 guys, half the amount of the staff of our competition, half the budget and they managed to finish a couple of years fourth in a row.

"It shouldn't come as a huge surprise that they were able to accomplish this and I brought some funding the team needed to be more competitive.

"I have brought some leadership skills with me that help the team to be more competitive and hopefully many more days like this in the future is the result.

"Since I took over the team, we have hired around 100 people, we would like to hire significantly more than that based on the new budget cap coming in, whether it allows us up to that level.

"There were already 400 fantastic guys punching above their weight and they continue to punch above their weight so I didn't believe there was a need to change."