Paris (AFP)

Finally a strong teammate to support Max Verstappen?

The Mexican Sergio Pérez will replace the Thai Alexander Albon at Red Bull in 2021, alongside the Dutchman, to hope to shake up Mercedes.

After this announcement, there is only one question mark that is not really one regarding the starting grid next season: defending champion Lewis Hamilton, who will be 36 in January, will soon renegotiate his contract. with Mercedes.

Pérez, 30 years old, ran ten seasons in the premier class, that is 191 Grands Prix.

It has not been retained for next year by its Racing Point team, which has chosen to bet on the quadruple German world champion Sebastian Vettel.

But, mounted ten times on the podium since his debut, the Mexican (passed by Sauber in 2011-2012, McLaren in 2013 and Force India / Racing Point since 2014) finally won a victory at the end of 2020. And he has just completed his best season with fourth place in the championship.

"Sergio's recent form and his victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix (early December, editor's note) made him the privileged choice to join Red Bull Racing, initially with a one-year contract," the team announced in a press release on Friday.

Conversely, Albon, who remains at Red Bull as a test and reserve driver, has only signed two podiums in 26 GP in the team since 2019 and only finished 7th in the championship in 2020 with 105 points (against 214 in Verstappen, 3rd).

- "The competition will be a little harder" -

His nationality (the same as that of one of the two owners of the energy drink brand Red Bull) was not enough to save the head of the 24-year-old Thai, because the Austrian team (2nd among manufacturers in 2020) needs two successful drivers to hope to titillate Mercedes, seven times reigning world champion.

"This year, more often than not, when we were competitive, I was in the only car capable of being in front, and they (Mercedes, note), there were two of them. It was therefore easier for them to cover our choices strategic and difficult for us to beat them, ”Verstappen explained at the International Automobile Federation (FIA) awards ceremony a few hours after the announcement.

"I hope that Checo (the nickname of Pérez, note) will be the one who will push the whole team forward and keep me on the alert," said the Dutchman.

"I think the competition with Red Bull is going to be a bit tougher," anticipates Mercedes Finnish Valtteri Bottas anyway.

It will be interesting, too, to see how the two, known for their strong characters, coexist in a team fully acquired in Verstappen.

- "Still things to do" -

For Red Bull, it is therefore a new twist in the difficult succession of Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who left in 2019. And, exceptionally, it is for once calling on a driver who is not from his sector.

The red bull team had first promoted Frenchman Pierre Gasly from his sister team Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri), before demoting him in mid-season last, for lack of results, and installing in his Albon seat, who was playing his first F1 campaign with the Italian team.

On the Mercedes side, to fill the last seat officially vacant next year, discussions must begin "in the days to come" between Hamilton and his boss Toto Wolff, said the British driver on Friday.

"I want to be there next year because I believe that we still have things to do on the track and especially off," said the person concerned after the last GP of the season on Sunday.

Now a seven-time world champion tied with Michael Schumacher, Hamilton would become the most successful driver in history if he wins in 2021.

The season is due to start on March 21 in Australia, if the pandemic permits, for a record 23 races, of which that of April 25 is still looking for a circuit, Hanoi, in Vietnam, being very uncertain.

To remember, a first in Saudi Arabia on November 28 and a return to the Netherlands, Verstappen's homeland, on September 5.

© 2020 AFP