Max Verstappen says he is "glad" Sergio Perez has been given a new Red Bull contract.
The extension was announced by the team this week ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. They decided Perez remains the best candidate for the seat alongside triple F1 champion Verstappen and have given the 34-year-old a new two-year deal.
Perez has won five races since joining Red Bull in 2021. But he has rarely got the better of Verstappen in a straight fight and has spent most of their time together playing second fiddle to the Dutchman.
Verstappen, 26, says he is pleased that his team-mate will be sticking around. He said: "It's great news that Checo has signed with the team until 2026 and I am glad to be able to continue with the successful partnership that we have created over the past few years.
"We achieved a record-breaking season last year and the team is very strong, so we are looking forward to building on this success into the next two years as well."
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Perez finished second in the drivers' championship last year for the first time but with fewer than half the points total amassed by Verstappen over the course of the season. He is currently fifth in the table after the first eight rounds of the current season, having been out-scored by Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz as well as McLaren's Lando Norris.
Team principal Christian Horner has expressed his concern in the recent past that both Ferrari and McLaren have two drivers capable of regularly scoring points. As a result, they need Perez to be doing the same if Red Bull are to hold off their rivals this season.
Christian Horner has explained the decision to re-sign Sergio Perez (Getty Images)Commenting on Perez's renewal, the 50-year-old backed his driver to do exactly that. Horner said: "Now is an important time to confirm our line-up for 2025 and we are very pleased to continue working together with Checo.
" Continuity and stability are important for the team and both Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first ever one-two finish for the team in the championship last year. Checo has had a strong start to 2024 with second places in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan and then his podium in China.
"The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see. Last year was a unicorn season and we will need to work hard to retain our titles, but we are assured in our line up and with the team as a whole, which is imperative in what is shaping up to be a close-fought championship this year."
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