レッドブル、ペレスとの契約を２０２４年まで延長

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】フォーミュラワン（Ｆ１、Ｆ１世界選手権）に参戦するレッドブルは３１日、セルヒオ・ペレスとの契約を２０２４年まで新たに２年延長したと発表した。（写真はモナコＧＰ決勝で優勝しチームメンバーから祝福されるセルヒオ・ペレス＜中央＞）
　ペレスは先週末に行われた２２Ｆ１第７戦モナコＧＰ決勝で、大雨による混乱から抜け出して優勝を飾っており、二重の喜びを手にした。
　今季３度の２位フィニッシュに次いで優勝を飾った３２歳のペレスは、ドライバーズ選手権ではチームメートで首位に立つマックス・フェルスタッペンを１５ポイント差、フェラーリのシャルル・ルクレールを６ポイント差で追っている。
　チームは、メキシコ人Ｆ１ドライバーとして史上最高の成功を収めているペレスの契約延長という判断は「間違いないもの」だとしており、クリスチャン・ホーナー代表は「われわれにとって、彼のスピードやレース技術、経験を保持し続けるのは当然のことで、チェコ（ペレスの愛称）が２０２４年までチームのためにレースを続けてくれるのをうれしく思っている」と述べた。
　ペレスは「モナコで勝つのはどんなドライバーにとっても夢であり、それに続いて２０２４年までチームで働くことを発表してくれたのは、自分にとっては本当に幸せなことだ」とコメントしている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/06/01-18:36）

Red Bull on Tuesday announced they have rewarded Sergio Perez with a fresh two-year deal until 2024, saying the decision to hold on to the most successful Mexican driver in Formula One history was a no brainer.
Max Verstappen's teammate signed his new contract at Monaco at the weekend to give him double cause for celebration after he emerged from all the chaos caused by a pre-race deluge to win the iconic Grand Prix.
For us, holding onto his pace, race craft and experience was a no-brainer and we are delighted that Checo will continue to race for the team until 2024, team boss Christian Horner said.
Perez, 32, moved to within 15 points of world champion Verstappen and only nine behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the drivers' standings after rising above all the mayhem on Sunday, that fine win coming after three second-place finishes.
Perez said: For me, this has been an incredible week, winning the Monaco Grand Prix is a dream for any driver and then to follow that with announcing I will continue with the team until 2024 just makes me extremely happy.
He joined Red Bull last season, claiming a win on another street circuit in Azerbaijan with four further podiums to finish fourth behind his Dutch colleague.
In his statement Horner noted the popular Perez had done a fantastic job and stepped up a gear in his second year with the team.
Time and again he has proved himself to not only be a magnificent team player but as his level of comfort has grown he has become a real force to be reckoned with at the sharp end of the grid, Horner remarked.
This year he has taken another step and the gap to world champion Max has closed significantly, evidenced by his superb pole position in Jeddah earlier this year and by his wonderful win in Monaco just last weekend.
This is not the first time Perez has had reason to be happy on two fronts after a Grand Prix win.
- Milestone moment -
At the back end of the 2020 season, with his seat at Racing Point already assigned to Sebastian Vettel, he ended the invidious record of 190 starts without a race win in Bahrain at the Sakhir Grand Prix.
Shortly after this milestone moment he was putting pen to paper on his first Red Bull contract to put a far rosier complexion on a week where his future in F1 had looked bleak with his Racing Point contract ending in Abu Dhabi the following Sunday.
Born in Guadalajara he was a member of the Ferrari driver academy until 2012, making his F1 debut for Sauber the year before. He would go on to drive for McLaren, Force India, and remained with them after the team went bankrupt as Racing Point.
As well as the longest streak without a win, he also holds another record not to tell the grandchildren about - he competed in 215 grand prix without taking pole position, only snapping that sequence in Saudi Arabia in March.
Last weekend meanwhile in the Perez household it was definitely party-time as on top of getting his hands on the race regarded as the crown jewel in the F1 calendar and a new contract, he also overtook Pedro Rodriguez as the most successful Mexican driver in history.
Horner is convinced that in Perez and Verstappen he has a driver pairing that can mine the biggest prizes in F1?.
Perez agreed, believing his strong relationship with Verstappen on and off the track is helping to drive Red Bull forward to greater success.
We have built tremendous momentum as a team and this season is showing that, I am excited to see where that can take us all in the future,? he said.