Sergio Pérez does not feel any additional pressure despite the arrival of Daniel Ricciardo at Oracle Red Bull Racing as their reserve driver for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season.
Ricciardo has re-joined Red Bull after losing his ride with the McLaren F1 Team, despite the Australian taking the team to their first race victory in nine years when he took first place in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
The Australian’s first spell at Red Bull between 2014 and 2018 saw him take seven of his eight career race victories, with his lowest finishing position in the Drivers’ Championship in that time being eighth in 2015.
Pérez finished third in the Drivers’ Championship in 2022, the best finish in his career so far, but he only took two race victories compared to the fifteen of team-mate Max Verstappen as the Dutchman stormed to his second World Championship triumph.
But despite the obvious pressure of having a multiple race winner looking over his shoulder as reserve driver, Pérez insists the Australian’s arrival does not add any pressure onto him, and he is going about his preparation for the upcoming 2023 season in the same way he was always going to.
“I’m pretty relaxed,” said Pérez to Sky Sports F1. “I mean, we live under a lot of pressure all the time. It doesn’t change anything from my side, I think it’s a great achievement for the team to have a driver like Daniel and he’s going to contribute a lot to our team.
“He’s a great guy, he’s one of the guys that I get on [with] the most in the paddock, so I think it’s just great to have Daniel in the team, and from my side doesn’t change anything.”
