Perez set to leave Racing Point at the end of 2020

Sergio Perez and the Racing Point team have made a shock announcement this evening, revealing that the Mexican driver would leave the Silverstone-based outfit at the end of the current season.

Perez will bring an end to his seven-year association with the team from Silverstone when he leaves Racing Point at the end of the 2020 season. The Mexican joined the team in 2014 when it raced under the Force India banner. He scored a podium finish at the 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix which was only his third appearance with the team.

In 2015, he stood on the rostrum at the Russian Grand Prix and scored points in 12 of the 19 races that year. In the following year, he added two more podium finishes to his name, putting his Force India VJM09 on to the rostrum at the Monaco and the European Grands Prix.

2017 marked another fantastic year for Perez with Force India. Despite failing to finish on the podium that year, he scored points in 17 of 20 races. He played a major part in rescuing the team in 2018 when it was put into administration after the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Following a more difficult campaign last year, Perez will be leaving Racing Point at the end of the 2020 season, when the team will begin racing under the Aston Martin name.

Otmar Szafnauer, CEO & Team Principal BWT Racing Point F1 Team said: “Checo has been part of the Silverstone family for seven years and in that time has become one of the most complete drivers on the grid.

"Blisteringly quick on Saturday and Sunday, he’s established his reputation as a tenacious racer and together we have enjoyed some fantastic moments. If there was ever a sniff of a podium, Checo was ready to pounce, and those five podiums represent some of the finest days in the history of this team.

Despite parting ways at the end of 2020, the Rumanian-American hopes that they can achieve more success in the current season. "Outside of the car, Checo is a true character and a good friend, and it’s been a pleasure working with him for such a long time. Although we will say goodbye at the end of the year, there are still nine races to go and plenty of opportunities for Checo to make some more special memories with this team.”