Related News
Home » Sports » Motor Racing
Perez on brink of new deal for 2017 F1 season
Print Edition
MEXICAN driver Sergio Perez expects to announce his 2017 Formula One plans before the month is out, with a new contract at his Force India team the likely scenario.
Perez had been ready to announce a deal at the Singapore Grand Prix this week, but contractual details were not finalized.
“We got some delays, but I really hope that before the next race we can definitely announce where I’ll be racing,” Perez said. “I’ll always say I’ll be very happy if I can stay, if everything is fine for me to stay where I am.”
His strong performances this season — he leads teammate Nico Hulkenberg by 16 points and has led Force India’s challenge for fourth in the constructors’ championship — fostered interest from rival teams, but Perez is bullish about his team’s prospects under the new F1 design regulations in 2017.
“When we had the massive regulation change for 2014, on my third race I was on the podium for the team, so it shows that Force India is capable of adapting well to new regulations,” Perez said. “Hopefully next year, we can do another step forward, which is going to be very tough. Now you’re fighting Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, so it’s going to be very tough but I fully believe in the team.”
Less certain about their futures are Renault drivers Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer, who have received no indication from the team whether they will be contracted next season.
“I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes,” Magnussen said. “I’ve read in the press that there’s been a delay and the decision could take a long time.”
Palmer was also in the dark about his future. “I’ll know when I know,” he said. “I know I’m in the mix but we’ll just see how things pan out. Every race from now on is a chance to show what I can do.”
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo achieved a Red Bull one-two in the first free practice session yesterday at the Singapore GP.
Dutchman Verstappen, 18, lapped the Marina Bay Street Circuit in one minute 45.823 seconds to edge out his Australian teammate by 0.049 seconds. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was next fastest, 0.464 off the pace.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
