Perez to Race for Sahara Force India Next Season

May the (Sahara) Force be with Sergio Perez

The 23-year-old Mexican Formula One driver will race next season for British-based team Sahara Force India after signing a multi-year contract.

Sergio Perez

Perez announced last month that he would be leaving McLaren, also based in England, at the end of the 2013 Formula One season, which concluded on November 24.

Perez and Germany’s Nico Hülkenberg, who is returning after competing for Sauber in 2013, will be Force India’s race drivers next season. The two finished 11th and 10th, respectively, in last year’s F1 Drivers’ Standings.

“Coming here was always my first choice and I’m really happy everything has now been confirmed,” Perez was quoted as saying in a news release on Force India’s Web site, which did not indicate the length of the deal.

“This is a young team with a lot of determination and they’ve produced competitive cars for the last few years. It’s all change for next season with the new regulations, but I already have a good feeling about 2014,” the driver added.

Force India Team Principal and Managing Director Vijay Mallya, for his part, praised Perez’s “healthy mix of youth and experience” and said he possesses “incredible talent.”