Perez dismisses favouritism concerns over new teammate Stroll

Sergio Perez has dismissed concerns that his new 2019 teammate Lance Stroll will be more favoured upon thanks the new ownership role his father Lawrence Stroll now holds at the Racing Point team. Perez has been with the ex-Force India outfit since 2014, scoring a total of five podiums for the team, the most recent coming at the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. 

Perez will be joined by Lance Stroll for the 2019 season after he spent a two-year spell with Williams. Last summer, Lance’s father, Canadian billionaire and investor Lawrence Stroll led a consortium of investors that acquired the Force India team and its assets after the team suddenly entered administration prior to the Hungarian Grand Prix. Despite the ownership role being held by his new teammate’s father, Perez is not concerned. 

“The investment that they’ve done, it’s successful, so for that we need both cars as strong as possible.” Perez believed. “We both have to work very hard and we both have to work together to bring the team as forward as possible. It’s in the best interests of everyone.”

Perez, who was one of the creditors of the previous Force India team, also spoke highly of his new teammate Stroll. Despite two seasons at Williams that seen a podium in Baku and a front row start at Monza in a dreadful qualifying session, Stroll’s place in F1 is constantly questioned, but Perez spoke differently on the young Canadian. 

“I don’t know him much as a driver. In Formula 1, it’s so difficult to prepare, to know a driver from another team. 95 percent of your results is done by the car. He’s certainly had a poor season in 2018 down to the car. I think his Williams had a lot of trouble.” 

“But the kid definitely has the talent. He’s been on the podium and when it’s wet he’s always up there, and I think he’s coming to a great team with one of the best engineers in the world.”