Parenthood has refreshed Force India driver as he gears up for 'career-defining' year

LONDON - Fatherhood has changed Sergio Perez's life since the end of last season and the Mexican hopes the coming year in Formula One could be just as transformative on the track.

The 28-year-old, known as Checo, is starting his fifth year at Force India, the privately run team that has been fourth in the constructors' championship for the last two campaigns and become like a second family.

But that is still a long way from where Perez, whose son and namesake was born in December, ultimately hopes his talents will take him.

"Definitely it is a year that is going to determine my career, my coming years," the Guadalajara-born driver, who was linked last season to Renault, told Reuters during preseason testing in Barcelona.

"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."

Just how good the new Force India is remains to be seen, with a big update promised for the March 25 season-opener in Australia and Perez saying that was needed after a fairly anonymous testing.

A Ferrari academy driver before entering Formula One with Sauber in 2011, and having a difficult year at McLaren in 2013, Perez has become one of the most dependable and consistent racers.

For some years he has talked about his desire to join a top team, only to stay put in the end. But this season could see movement.

The Mexican, who scored points in 17 of last season's 20 races, has been linked to Ferrari in the past, even if others may now be ahead of him in the queue to replace 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen.

The driver market is braced for a big shake-up, with 38-year-old Raikkonen out of contract at the end of the year along with Finland's Valtteri Bottas at champions Mercedes and Australian Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull.

Ricciardo will set the ball rolling if he moves, with Renault's young Spaniard Carlos Sainz only on loan from Red Bull pending the Australian's decision.