F1 Half Term Report: Rate the Grid - Sergio Perez

[Paul Jeffrey]

2017 is a big year for Sergio Perez, as the Mexican driver looks to perform at a high enough level to improve his chances of a championship challenging drive in future years.

Fighting back from a disastrous year at McLaren for seemingly his entire career, Perez continues to impress Formula One insiders with his solid pace and much improved racecraft during 2017, possibly aided by a renewed challenge from his young and talented new teammate in the form of Esteban Ocon this season.

Perez has long been rumoured to be moving to a bigger team since joining Force India in 2014, and his performances in 2017 indicate that the time could well be right for the Mexican driver to once again have a crack at the front of the grid in Formula One.

Still with a little bit too much Latin temperament for many team managers comfort, Perez isn't too far away from finding himself a finished article in Formula One terms, and could well be on the cusp of a return to a front running outfit in the not too distant future...

Vote now to tell us how you rate the first half of 2017 for Sergio Perez, and leave a comment below!

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[Leonardo Chaves]

Perez is doing very good again this season, the only little blemish on his record is that he isn't showing much of a team player attitude.

 

[Bengt Lundgren]

second that

 

[Dovi design]

Solid season from him. But loses points for me due to his drive in Monaco and his attitude in Montreal and Baku

 

[Rob]

Sergio is frustrated, like all drivers with no chance to win. But he knew that going in. I wonder if he's tailed off a bit, or if Ocon is just that much better? Time will tell, but Sergio has been rock solid for two years, and no words can erase that.

 

[Sky]

he's having a very sergio perez season.

 

[Kasti]

Perhaps his last season, never got the breaktrough to a major team, time is running away for him, a destiny many other promising drivers had before him. Sad fact, i liked to see him fight.

 

[AOR Perez]

9. He's been maximising every result this season, the fact that he's outqualified Ocon 9-2 shows how impressive he has been. Definitely a top five driver on the grid.

 

[Ryder7538]

Perhaps his last season, never got the breaktrough to a major team, time is running away for him, a destiny many other promising drivers had before him. Sad fact, i liked to see him fight.

Who should replace him at FI and keep in mind he's only 27 therefore he has atleast 8 good years in his bag.
Jeez it's not like there are tons of absolute young driver gems.
On top of that he'd be good enough for a topteam. The only young drivers who currently deserve a seat for next season are IMO Leclerc, GIovinazzi and Gasly or Rosenqvist with the year after that probably Norris besides those guys I don't see any young driver who has currently the potential to outperform someone like Sergio.

 

[Kasti]

Ok See your point. But i see the fact FI needs money... perhaps they want a pay driver in future.

 

[Ryder7538]

Ok See your point. But i see the fact FI needs money... perhaps they want a pay driver in future.

FI has made it one of its main principles only to use drivers who made on merit into F1.
On top of that the fact they want to change their name suggests that there's a big sponsor deal incoming.

 

[boomn]

I wonder if he's tailed off a bit, or if Ocon is just that much better? Time will tell, but Sergio has been rock solid for two years, and no words can erase that.

Some portion of Sergio's great performance in the previous couple years was due to him being very good at babying the tires. This year's tires degrade much less so that skill doesn't help him as much anymore. I think he is still a great driver though, somewhere in the top 10 for me.

Hulkenberg wasn't as good at working with the high-degradation tires and saw his performance fall below people's expectations in the past couple years, but he is impressing again now that he can push the tires harder in 2017

 

[LeSunTzu]

Perez is the "best of the rest". People praise Ocon but Perez has outperformed him in any area, just like he did vs Hulk. I hope he eventually gets a seat in a top 3 team.

 

[TrumpetReich]

Perhaps his last season, never got the breaktrough to a major team, time is running away for him, a destiny many other promising drivers had before him. Sad fact, i liked to see him fight.

Never got a break with a major team? Mclaren? I like they guy, but he wasted his chance. True Mclaren wasn't contending for the title that year, but it was a ride with a top tier team no less, and if he had performed he could have stuck with them and later been in place to win a title.

 

[M-Bimmer]

He is doing great (8 and could have been a 9). He is bit unfocused when it goes down to the wire with his team mate.
Totally different of what we have seen from him in previous seasons.

 

[Klodian Stafa]

nothing to separate him from his teammate both doing great with some improvemets why not to see force india a top team if its not possible for perez and ocon to move up to a top team

 

[Blkout]

Perez is outstanding and the only thing holding him back from winning a championship is the car. He's working miracles with a midpack car.

 

[Jan Larsen]

8. Perez is having a very Perez like season. Very solid, but nothing really great. In a no mans land career wise - sure to be retained, but also sure not to be promoted for a top team. Better performances and beating Ocon consistently are required for that to happen.

 

[oorjit07]

8. Perez is having a very Perez like season. Very solid, but nothing really great. In a no mans land career wise - sure to be retained, but also sure not to be promoted for a top team. Better performances and beating Ocon consistently are required for that to happen.

Ocon has outperformed Perez twice. Once at Monaco, where his strategy failed, and then at Baku, where he was taken out.

 

[Short_Circut]

It's a shame that only 3 teams are able to contest for wins and within those teams are already filled with good drivers. It's a shame to see that drivers such as Perez may never get the chance to really show their skill