Sergio Perez, Racing Point, Mugello, 2020

Perez admits he overheard Stroll confirming he’d chosen Vettel to replace him

2020 Russian Grand Prix

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Sergio Perez has admitted he learned he would lose his seat at Racing Point to Sebastian Vettel because he overheard team owner Lawrence Stroll discussing it on the telephone.

RaceFans revealed earlier this month Perez had discovered the team had decided to replace him when he accidentally heard a conversation between Stroll and the team’s lawyer.

“I’m surprised how things go into the media so easily,” Perez told Sky in an interview. “I think in a way I’m a bit disappointed in that regard because I feel that those things should stay internally within us. We know what happened, what we did and so on.”

Perez heard Stroll outlining the terms of Vettel’s deal on the Sunday of the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza.

“It’s true,” said Perez. “I found out on Sunday that I was not going to stay. They still did other things in that regard. So I already knew in advance.”

How Perez accidentally learned of Vettel’s cut-price Aston Martin deal
In 2018, Perez played a key role in assisting Stroll’s takeover of the team – then known as Force India – by triggering the legal proceedings which put them into administration. He said he was disappointed the team’s CEO Otmar Szafnauer did not draw attention to this when the team confirmed they had cut Perez’s contract short to bring Vettel in.

“I was also disappointed that not really pretty much no one has said anything about that,” said Perez. “I heard that it was not going out in the press release but they were going to mention that, Otmar was going to mention that in interviews and so on. I didn’t see anything.

“But it’s fine. I never done it for people to give me anything. I guess this is Formula 1. But I just found it a bit difficult that we’ve been together for so many years, I expected a bit more transparency.

“But at the same time I think Otmar is not in an easy position too. From Lawrence’s point of view I understand everything. I’ve got nothing against him. And for the team as well, this team is such a big part of me that I want them to do very well in their future. That’s the most important thing for me.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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29 comments on “Perez admits he overheard Stroll confirming he’d chosen Vettel to replace him”

  1. Jose Lopes da Silva
    26th September 2020, 13:48

    A pandemic year creates a grid full of outgoing-their-seats drivers which creates these stories.

    1. He did not.create the story nor tell the media – I obtained it from a team source who had also overheard it, and then had verified by another party. I have not spoken to Checo about it nor he to me. As far as I know today was the first time he spoke about it, on TV after the moderator pushed him.

      1. Jose Lopes da Silva
        26th September 2020, 15:53

        I’m sorry, I used the verb “create” in a wrong way. I should have said “the current and unusual climate of drivers outgoing their contracts a long way before the end of the season generates the ideal conditions for these situations to happen”. Similar things are happening between Vettel and Ferrari.

        I didn’t mean to diminish the importance of the story. Actually, it’s interesting to see the difference between RP-Ferrari and Renault-McLaren, where both outgoing drivers are going very strong.

        1. Not wrong, just ambiguous. You could read it the way you intended (I did).

      2. I got from Perez’s comments before – he was told on Wednesday but knew already two days earlier on Sunday. This all makes sense now!

  2. Amazing job in qualifying Perez!!

  3. It’s impressive if Perez genuinely has nothing against Stroll snr, I think Lance has done an ok job thos year but if I was in Pérez’s shoes I’d be well irritated with Lawrence.

  4. In 2018, Perez played a key role in assisting Stroll’s takeover of the team – then known as Force India – by triggering the legal proceedings which put them into administration. He said he was disappointed the team’s CEO Otmar Szafnauer did not draw attention to this when the team confirmed they had cut Perez’s contract short to bring Vettel in.

    I know of someone who immediately lost his job after the deal to put ForceIndia into administration.
    That decision wasn’t so much to save the team, but to make way for a quick sale to a buyer who wanted a shorter route to team ownership. That RacinPoint is better off for it is a different matter completely.
    Ambition and business can sometimes get in the way of loyalties something Perez needs to understand.

  5. Perez’s frustration is very understandable. 1. He did a great job and did not deserve to loose his seat and 2. He is out right at the moment where the team is getting places and set for great results. 2 must be more painful even if Perez’s ego is often reported as pretty big. But honestly, the team’s decision make sense… They are not ditching Perez because they want to replace him. They’ve jumped on a sudden opportunity to hire a 4 time world champion and therefore have to release a driver. Sure, Perez is arguably performing better than Lance. But we know the story and Lance is doing quite decently this year, so it’s not as if this was a wasted seat. He is still very very young (In fact he probably came too early in F1), so him and Vettel make a good duo I suppose. Seems Lawrence is a smart guy who knows how to build a project…

  6. Stroll Jr has is doing well in f1, and he could be the next aryrton senna given how much ‘privilege’ he has had . He is a product of privilege, not his fault so i consider him for his results (he is genuinely fast) but he has not had better results than other junior drivers so should not be in motorsports highest class of racing, he jumped the queue over better drivers with not enough funding. Sport should not be like this, but sadly motorsport is right wing and follows the capitalist mentality.

    1. Jose Lopes da Silva
      26th September 2020, 15:57

      Criticizing Lance Stroll is not left-wing nor politics – unless you believe meritocracry is a politics matter. If you turn this into politics, there are countless examples on the other way around. Criticizing Lance Stroll is just a push for meritocracy over nepotism.

    2. Hence why I don’t bring political discussions in F1.

  7. Great boss huh?

    Stroll is an admired business man and letting his employee hear of his getting replaced now shows what kind of scumbag he is.
    Here’s to many DNQs and rotted performance in Q1 for your team.
    People like you, have a place in American politics.

    1. Eavesdropping on another’s phone conversation is considered rude here in America…so is wishing bad fortune on someone else. Good luck to Checo and Lance!

  8. Perez heard Stroll outlining the terms of Vettel’s deal on the Sunday of the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza.

    “It’s true,” said Perez. “I found out on Sunday that I was not going to stay. They still did other things in that regard. So I already knew in advance.”

    The above doesn’t clarify the context in which Perez made the quote. He may have found out on Sunday through other means.

    1. he prob leaked it himself.

  9. I feel that those things should stay internally within us.

    ofcourse: Thats why he went tot the press about the secret gatherings he was left out.

  10. You can have opinions in many ways, but what we are seeing is like a small team, it is transforming into a team that wants to be great, Stroll Sr. is willing to invest a large part of his fortune to achieve it, Stroll is trying to build A team that aspires to championships, all this effort is not to make money, it is not to further enhance the Aston Martin Lagonda brand, it does not care if Vettel is champion again, no, Stroll Sr. is doing all this to build a champion team around his child.
    If Stroll could buy the world championship for his son at once, he was buying it right now, he has enough money to do it, but it is not like that, it is not that easy, it will cost him time and a lot of money, whatever it takes For Stroll Jr. to be world champion, at least he is going to try, he has the money and the time to do it.
    For Checo it must be very difficult to accept this whole situation, although it is clear that he understands it, and it is clear that he is clear, however, nobody can say that it is easy to accept it, Checo must be having a very bitter drink, and any detail The press, as always, will try to serve an appetizing dish for its readers, this type of gossip is perfect for doing any type of report and making Checo look bad… it’s a shame.
    It should not be easy for the team, as far as I know, there are members of that team who really value Checo very much, in these years they have managed to have a very close relationship and of true affection, also for some members of that team it does not go to be easy.
    And for Checo’s Followers, it is also difficult to see the way that Checo is leaving the team, Checo has many fans, not only in Mexico, but also in other latitudes.
    If Checo leaves F1, the Mexican Grand Prix will also lose much of its magic, the Mexican public gives Sergio Pérez a very special gift.
    Checo behind the wheel is a great driver, but outside the car Sergio Perez is an extraordinary person, that’s what his audience admires most about him.
    Divorces have never been easy, but when there was love involved.
    I hope that Checo finds a good opportunity to continue in F1,… if not, IndyCar is already rubbing their hands.

  11. Well how many drivers who are much quicker than there team mate get the push…..and as his contract has not ended, he will probably be getting paid next season and watch his slower team mate..
    Checo is driving at his best at this point of his career (without the faster aero package they gave to Lance)

  12. i wonder how much it cost to rip up that contract.

    1. The take-up option expired end-August, and Perez’s team extended it a week. Hence the decision needed to fall between Monza and Mugello. It’s in the linked report.

  13. Vettel may be a 4 time champ but any very good driver could also have been a 4 time champ with the best car and the team deliberately slowing his teammate while pretending not to. (Yes. Red Bull and Ferrari. Now Ferrari are not slowing Leclerc we see the real Vettel).

    There is fair evidence to believe that Nico Hulk is a better driver than Seb Vet. One gets to win 100 odd grand Prix, the other never gets to get a podium. It’s time F1 introduced a few GPs in the year run to a spec series, maybe using a 2019 Mercedes (2020 Tracing Point).

    1. Uncalled for bashing and wild conspiracy theories.. Hm, let me take a wild guess that when it comes to Hamilton at Mercedes you have a totally different view where it’s not about the car but all about the driver right? And that team has of course always played equals and never prioritized anybody with personnel, strategies or otherwise?

    2. 100 odd wins? Neither Hamilton nor Schumacher can boast that number yet. You’ve almost doubled Vettel’s actual win tally.

  14. Can’t wait for next year, would be so fun if vettel gets beaten by stroll, cause again, my biggest qualm is not perez being replaced, considering stroll’s father is team owner it’s understandable, but picking specifically vettel for the replacement.

  15. Checo Is handling all this with maturity and dignity.

    Next year stroll will realize his huge mistake when Vettel keeps spinning in his own.

  16. Checo met his match in Lawrence Stroll.

    Finally someone that didn’t need Checo and Slim’s cash.

  17. Vettel over Perez makes no sense to me.

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