Sergio Perez on Thursday acknowledged that Force India faces a “critical” financial situation that has forced him to consider his future in Formula One.
The popular Mexican driver said the Silverstone-based outfit remains one of his favoured options, but he feels he must consider other offers and hopes to clarify his thinking during Formula One’s upcoming European summer break.
“At this moment, the situation is critical,” he said. “There’s no secret that financial problems have held the team back quite a bit. If you look at the results, we are fifth in the constructors’ championship and you cannot imagine the financial issues that we’ve had so far. It just shows the potential this team has.”
“Definitely I would like to see what happens in the coming weeks and months with the team, because I believe it is a great team. I think now, during the summer break, I will have a good idea what’s happening here, and then I will be able to make a clear decision.”
The team’s chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer said he expected negotiations with Perez and his sponsors would take place around the time of the Mexican race later in the year.
But Perez said he felt events would force a quicker decision. “I’m lucky enough to have a couple of options,” he said. “I just want to see what’s possible for next year, which teams have a vacancy, and then decide. I will definitely wait to see what happens here because I believe this team has the most potential of anyone outside the top three teams.”
