Sergio Perez acknowle☂dges he will need to perform🐓 at his best during the upcoming 2018 Formula 1 season if he is to earn a move up the grid for 2019.

The Mexican is entering his fifth campaign with Force In๊dia, during which time he has earned back-to-back career-best finishes in the drivers’ standings, as well picking up four podiums. 

Perez - who has been linked with a move to Ferrari and Renault in recent years - has remained a significant presence in Force India’s rise up F1’s pecking order over the last few seasons, following his switch from McLaren after a dif🍌ficult 2013. 

But with the prosp🐽ect of seats becoming free at Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull in 2019, Perez is aware he needs to be at the top of his game this year in order to get noticed.&🦂nbsp;

"Definitely it is a year that is going to determine my career, my coming years," Perez told Reuters. “This ♓year it's going to be interesting to stay where we are and then see what's available. I definitely want to be in the best possible car I can be.”

Force India is looking to hold onto fourth place in the constructors’ championship in 2018, though it is set to face a tight midfield scrap against the likes of Renault, McLaren, ജHaas and Toro Rosso.

Despite recording the team’s most successful campaign in F1, Force India’s 20ꩲ17 season was marred by friction between Perez and teammate Esteban Ocon. The pair clashed in Azerbaijan and Belgium last year, which l🌠ed to Force India imposing team orders on the pair. However, Perez insists their relationship has since improved.

“I think w🤪e definitely had very intense moments in the team and thankful🐷ly everything changed for the good of the team, for the benefit of us.

“Now we work well together, in the last races, and I really hope that trend continues. We have to work together, we have to be united to push the team forward and hopefully battle ea🗹ch other for good positions.”