Force India Officially Announces Sergio Perez as New Driver for 2014 F1 Season

In a press conference in London, according to ESPN, Force India has announced Sergio Perez as its second driver for the 2014 season, with both Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta being replaced by the team.

It was already announced that Nico Hulkenberg would be returning to Force India after spending a season with Sauber, but the Silverstone-based outfit has completed its second coup in the space of a week with Perez's capture.

The Formula One giants confirmed the news on Twitter along with Sky Sports' James Galloway:

Perez had a disappointing 2013 at McLaren, where he failed to claim even a single podium finish and only once managed to crack the top five, that race almost fatefully coming at the Indian Grand Prix on Oct. 27.

ESPN's report on the announcement quotes the 23-year-old saying he's happy to have sorted the new deal:

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It's great to announce my new team as Sahara Force India. Coming here was always my first choice and I'm really happy everything has now been confirmed. I want to say thank you to Vijay and the whole team for giving me the opportunity. 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. My plan now is to visit the factory and get to know everyone in the team.

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Last season, Hulkenberg and Perez finished 10th and 11th in the drivers' standings respectively, directly above their predecessors di Resta and Sutil, who placed 12th and 13th.

That being said, the results were still good enough to give Force India its joint-highest finish in the manufacturers' standings, a 2013 place of sixth being good enough to match that of 2011.

However, it seems the team is seeking bigger and better things, with Perez viewed as the second piece to its puzzle as it looks to move up the standings in 2014.

Sky Sports confirmed earlier in December that Dane Kevin Magnussen would be the man replacing Perez at McLaren, the British team continuing its trend of signing young up-and-coming talent.

Perez has so far failed to live up to his high expectations during his three-year career at the peak of racing, but the Mexican will look upon his latest venture as a fresh start and a chance to prove doubters wrong.