Sergio♐ Perez has reflected on his 2018 Formula 1 campaign as “a very unusual year” for him and Force India as an era draws to a close in Abu Dhabi.

With the Silverstone-based squad struggling financially at the start of the 2018 season, despite consecutive fourth place finishes in the F1 world constructors’ standings, Perez was a key part of Force India’s self-enforced administration 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:having been asked ‘to save the te🅰🍷am’.

As the team found fresh bac🐻kers in a consorꦬtium led by Lawrence Stroll, father of Williams F1 driver Lance Stroll, the F1 squad came back from the brink but lost its constructors’ points as a result of going into administration and effectively starting as a new team.

Despite only scoring team points as Racing Point Force India since the Belgium Grand Prix, Perez’s squad has climbed to seventh in the F1 constructors’ standings with a six-point gap over Sauber ahead of the 2018 season♐ finale.

The Mexican driver, who has re-signed for 2019, has described this year as “the💃 most complicated seas𒀰on of my career” given the off-track issues but is optimistic about the future.

“Abu Dhabi will 📖be the closing chapter of a very unusual year for both me and the team,” Perez said. “It was probably the most complicated season of my career, having to deal w🐓ith so many things happening inside and outside the cockpit.

“The final race of the year is the opportunity to look back at the🌠 work we have done in the last twelve months and I am proud and grateful to everyone 𓆏working back at the factory, in the garage, and in the hospitality.

“This team never stops fighting; we never stop working and now we are looking at a very promising future. I am really happ♔y to be part of this family and I am already looking forward to 2019.”

Despite the turbulent se🐼ason Perez still feels targeting seventh place, and best of the midfield F1 drivers, is possible as he hopes to overturn an 11-point deficit to Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg at the Yas Marina.

It effectively means Perez would need to finish a minimum of fourth place in Abu Dhabi, or higher depending on Hulkenberg’s position, with the Mexican’s best career result at the Yas Marina circuit being fifth place i﷽n 2015.

“[Abu Dhabi] is a track where we have been competitive for the last few years and I would love to end the season with a strong result,” he said. “I am still aiming for seventh place in ꦑthe drivers’ championship.

“I know it is going to be hard, b🉐ut on൲ Sunday anything can happen and I want to be ready if the chance is there. The team is also aiming for sixth place in the constructors’ so we need to deliver a perfect weekend.”

Force India trails McLaren by 14 points in the fight for sixt🐬h place in the F1 teams’ cha♕mpionship, with Sauber six points back in eighth.

Perez remains the only driver outside of the top thꦓree teams to reach the podium in 2018 with hi🌠s third-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.