The top 10 F1 drivers of the 2020 season: 3 - SERGIO PEREZ

Sergio Perez produced a truly outstanding 2020 season. The Mexican confessed Racing Point’s controversial RP20 challenger was the best car he’d ever driven after pre-season testing, and his assessment was justified with a brilliant campaign.

Racing Point was frustrated to have only scored one podium by the halfway mark of the campaign given it boasted the fastest car of the midfield, but Perez would use this to his advantage in the second half of the season as he claimed a remarkable fourth place finish in the championship, having scored points in every race he finished.

That was despite missing both Silverstone rounds - where Perez felt Racing Point’s performance was strongest - as Perez’s consistency proved hugely important in his rise up the championship order. He followed up an excellent second-place finish in Turkey with a stunning last-to-first fairytale maiden victory at the 190th attempt in Bahrain, one week after he lost a certain podium due to an engine failure.

SEE ALSO: The top 10 F1 drivers of the 2020 season: 4 - Daniel Ricciardo 

After putting in the strongest season of his career, Perez is fully deserving of his opportunity to return to the front of the grid and drive race-winning machinery at Red Bull.

It will be fascinating to see how he shapes up against Max Verstappen and whether his combination of experience, speed and race craft and guile can help Red Bull provide a greater challenge to the dominant Mercedes squad in 2021.

You have to wonder whether Racing Point will be regretting its decision to dispose of Perez’s services.

Come back tomorrow to discover which driver takes runner-up spot…