Liam Lawson commented on Sergio Perez’s departure from Formula 1: “I remember him fighting Alonso in Malaysia, it’s incredible.”
When one enters, another leaves: we’re talking about Liam Lawson, ready to join Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen. Naturally, stepping aside from the RB21 is Mexican driver Sergio Perez, who has been notably underwhelming over the past two Formula 1 seasons.
The 2004-born New Zealander spoke about Perez’s exit in an interview with motorsport.com, conducted during the Abu Dhabi weekend but embargoed until the official announcement on December 18. “I have a lot of respect for (Checo) Perez and what he has achieved in Formula 1,” Lawson began, knowing about his new role even before the season’s final Grand Prix.
Lawson went on to highlight his memory of Perez’s performance at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix, when Perez took the Sauber to the podium after battling for victory with Fernando Alonso in rainy conditions: “I remember watching a race in Sepang when I was a kid, and Perez was in the Sauber, fighting Alonso in the Ferrari. It’s incredible to now race against these drivers.” .
“As I said, I have a lot of respect for what Perez has done in this sport and for what he has done for this team. Replacing him will be tough, but of course, it’s exciting for me,” concluded the new Red Bull driver.
Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing