Sergio Perez sees himself racing in Formula 1 beyond the expiry of his current Red Bull contract – but admits when the time comes to walk away it "won't be difficult".
The Mexican signed a new deal earlier this year which secures his place on the grid until the end of the 2024 season. It means Perez is guaranteed to remain in F1 until at least a few weeks before his 35th birthday.
But as things stand, he has absolutely no intention of calling it a day at that point. Whether or not he will be offered a fresh extension by Red Bull between now and then, Perez believes he will still want to continue racing.
"I still have a contract until 2024, but I can't imagine that I'll end my career then," he told BILD. "I'm too young for that and still having too much fun. Even if the sport takes up a lot of time. But that's how it is.
"Formula 1 will be your life and you can't just leave that behind – and yet it won't be difficult for me in the end. The best moments of my life have nothing to do with racing. For example, the birth of my children. But even the simple things mean a lot to me. If I can get a taco in Mexico for 20 pesos and spend time with my family, these are moments that you don't experience in Formula 1."
It has been a strange season so far for Perez. His haul of 173 points is by some margin his best ever return after 13 races of an F1 season, yet there is still the feeling that he must do more. His Monaco Grand Prix victory was a shining example of what he is capable of, but he is yet to win more than one race in a single season.
The Mexican has not looked likely to claim victory in any race since, and he has instead been outshone by team-mate Max Verstappen. There is little shame in that – the Dutchman is the defending champion and in imperious form again this year – but more is needed to win over his doubters.
One of them may well be within Red Bull's ranks, as adviser Helmut Marko made his feelings clear prior to last weekend's race in Hungary. "He is too far behind Max Verstappen at the moment," he said. "The summer break hasn't started yet, but he already seems to be in that mode."
Perez knows not all is well, as he added: "I feel very good in the car, but not perfect. At the beginning of the season I had top speed. Now we have further developed the car and it no longer suits my driving style 100 percent. I have to adapt because it currently suits Max and his driving style better.
"That's why I have to get used to it as quickly as possible and hope that we'll go more in the direction we had at the start of the season. Then I can really attack again. I can't even imagine what it must be like to celebrate a title. That's exactly what motivates me. If I wasn't in such a top car, I probably wouldn't be in this sport anymore."
And he still feels as though he can beat Verstappen. Asked if he can become a world champion, Perez replied: "Definitely! If everything is right and I drive perfectly, I can beat anyone in Formula 1. Max too. I've shown that several times this season.
"Unfortunately, that won't be a sure-fire success. Max has incredible quality, is extremely cool for his age and has a very good feeling for the car. That's why the question isn't whether I can beat him in one weekend, but how many races I can finish ahead of him. It's about consistency. It distinguishes a champion."
