Sergio Perez has finally gotten his well-deserved opportunity with a big team and will drive for Red Bull in 2021. Sure, he did have one season with McLaren back in 2013. However, that McLaren car was pretty poor and Perez ended up as a mid-field driver through the course of the season.

This year, fortunately, he’ll have a chance to unleash his absolute best and fight for podiums on a regular basis. The job won’t be easy, but trust a man with over 190 races under his belt to handle the challenge.

Even six months ago, no one could have predicted that Perez would end up at Red Bull. Even after a disastrous 2020 season, people didn’t think Red Bull would look for a driver from outside their infamous academy. But they did, and Checo’s is very thankful for this opportunity.

In his first-ever interview in Red Bull colors, he said, “It’s a fantastic brand. Of all the teams in Formula One, I thought there was no chance for me to join it because I wasn’t part of the junior programme, but when the opportunity came I took it. It’s a dream come true. “

The last non-academy driver who raced for the Milton Keynes-based outfit was Mark Webber. The Australian raced for the team from 2007 until 2014. He was part of the team’s golden era wherein they won four world titles.

If Perez can recreate even half the kind of success that Webber had at Red Bull, he’d be considered a hit.

Sergio Perez stoked about chance to drive for Red Bull

Trying to word his excitement, Checo said, “When I put my Red Bull shirt on or drink a can, I think ‘wow, this is the brand I drive for!’

“It’s amazing and hard to imagine. It’s an opportunity that I have worked so hard for – for more than 15 years. I think it’s come at the right time, I’m ready for that and I will grab it with both hands.”

Ever since Daniel Ricciardo left, Red Bull have struggled to find a driver who can keep up, if not match, Max Verstappen’s pace.

Will Perez be the answer to their problems? We’ll find out soon.