Perez admits team orders a possibility

04/11/2021
NEWS STORY

With the title fight so finely balanced, Red Bull could well call on Sergio Perez to sacrifice a home win for his teammate on Sunday, a call that the Mexican admits would be a great problem for his team to face.

While Red Bull heads into the weekend as favourite, mainly on the basis of its track record in Mexico, the Austrian team is fully aware that with a 12 point advantage Max Verstappen needs to maintain his championship lead going into the final four rounds.

Coming off the back of successive podium finishes and buoyed by the fanatical support of his home crowd, many are tipping Sergio Perez to claim his second victory of the year.

However, the Mexican is aware that even if heading for victory on Sunday, the call could go out to yield to his teammate.

"I don't see much point in discussing that now," he told the media at today's press conference. "I think probably we will see where we are on Saturday and if it's worthwhile having that conversation.

"Right now, there's no guarantee that we're going to be in that position," he continued. "I think it will be a great problem to have as a team, but right now, we haven't discussed anything.

"I'm pretty sure that the whole team, everyone wants me to win this weekend," he aded. "I think everyone is so enthusiastic, everyone at my team, the crowd. You know, it's a very special venue for us.

"Yeah, it's a very intense fight. We'll see through the race, but I'm pretty sure that everyone in the team, if there's a race they want me to win, it's this one, so I am sure I have full support from everyone in my team."

Siting alongside the Mexican, asked if he would sacrifice a home win, Daniel Ricciardo was in no doubt.

"Right now my answer is no, I would not," he said. "If it was the last race of the season and that position swap literally meant the world title or not, then maybe that's a more complex decision making process.

"But I mean... a home win, that's like the thing that you dream of as a kid. If obviously you've earned it on track, then yeah, I feel like it should be yours for the taking."

Check out our Thursday gallery from Mexico City, here.

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Published: 04/11/2021
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