Sebastian Vettel‘s move to Aston Martin for 2021 put a smile on nearly everyone’s face except Sergio Perez. The Mexican claimed that the immediacy of the decision shocked him. He thought he had his drive for 2021 secure and had no idea of the upheaval that was to come his way.

Sergio Perez Reveals Racing Point Kept Him in the Dark About Signing Vettel at Aston Martin

However, Racing Point‘s team principal, Otmar Szafnauer, said otherwise. According to Szafnauer, Perez was kept in the know about developments between the team and Vettel.

The Racing Point boss said, “He did have an inkling and he did know. We kept his manager, Julian (Jakobi) informed of the process all the way through. What he didn’t know, because the decision wasn’t made, was what the definitive action was going to be.”

The ‘definitive action’ mentioned by Otmar refers to the basic facts of the deal itself. Facts pertaining to when the announcement would be made and who was going to be his replacement. Knowledge of these basics would certainly have helped Checo’s cause.

Perez’s earlier statements about his sudden removal for the team gave him public sympathy. While people were obviously happy for Vettel, they were sad to hear the way in which Checo, a faithful driver to the team, was treated.

While it’s unlikely Szafnauer’s statements would cause the public to turn on Checo, it could help rebuild Racing Point’s damaged reputation due to the backlash they have suffered.

Racing Point boss credits Sergio Perez and his skills for making the choice between him and Vettel a difficult one

According to Szafnauer, the decision to choose the 4-times world champion over Perez was not as easy as people make it out to be.

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“Sergio’s served us well. He’s a great racer, he’s a quick driver. He’s a great pair of hands on a Sunday, he doesn’t make many mistakes, he brings the points in. So it wasn’t easy.

“I think it’s a compliment to Sergio for us to deliberate so long. Ultimately, with Aston Martin coming in, I think it’s the right decision to get the experience that Sebastian Vettel brings with the experience of a top team.”

The compliment may not necessarily flatter Checo, now that he is left without a seat for 2021. However, in some ways, it’s good that the team made the decision before the season had wrapped up. It gives Perez the time to look at what offers might be on the table and which one would suit him best.

It seems unlikely that he’ll get a drive at a top team. But he has enough options on hand to continue his F1 career.