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Sergio Perez's win at the 2022 F1 Monaco GP was the best way to make his intentions of challenging for the World Drivers' Championship clear to Red Bull, according to Nico Rosberg.
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The 2016 F1 world champion for Mercedes was full of praise for Perez after the Mexican shrugged off his disappointment from last week's 2022 F1 Spanish GP to claim his first win of the year.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1's post-race debrief, the German said:
“What a comeback after that horrible situation in Barcelona, that’s the best way to say ‘don’t do that to me, I want to fight for the World Championship as well here.’ What a brilliant weekend; everything perfect and let’s not underestimate how difficult it is to do those out laps in the conditions and get the timings right and everything. Just spectacular. He’s right there and much closer pace-wise to [Max] Verstappen this year.”
Former F1 driver-turned-TV pundit Paul di Resta added to Rosberg's comments, saying:
“For Checo [Sergio Perez] to get that done, it cements his stability within Red Bull as well.”
Earlier on Saturday, Perez crashed in qualifying, bringing the session to an abrupt end, and started the race on wet tires in P3. The Mexican was aided by Red Bull's strategic call to try and pull an overcut on the Ferrari cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
After a red flag following Mick Schumacher's car-splitting crash at the Swimming Pool chicane, Perez managed to hold on for the win, ahead of Sainz.
The result means Perez is now in P3 in the World Drivers' Championship standings with 110 points, six behind Charles Leclerc with Max Verstappen a further 15 points ahead.
Contract extension negotiations between Red Bull and Sergio Perez imminent, confirms Christian Horner
Sergio Perez and Red Bull are expected to sit down for possible contract extension talks in the coming weeks, according to team principal Christian Horner.
In an interview with RacingNews365, Horner said:
“I think with his performances to date, so far, he’s converged with Max [Verstappen]. The dynamic between the two of them is very good. I think Checo [Sergio Perez] is more settled in the team this year, in his second year, and, of course, with a reset with a new car, he’s been very much closer to the pace. Inevitably, in the next few weeks, we’ll start talking about future seasons, but we’re not in a desperate rush.”
Perez's win in Monaco will only have raised his stock within the team, especially as his win also denied either Ferrari driver the chance to be on the top step of the podium for the fourth race running.
The 32-year-old also became the most successful Mexican F1 driver of all time with his third career GP win. Next up for Perez is the 2022 F1 Azerbaijan GP, a venue where he claimed his first win for Red Bull last year.
