Written by Maria Rodriguez, Edited by Madison Cooper
Despite an early season contract renewal until 2026, Sergio Pérez and Red Bull Racing announced they would be parting ways; his time in Formula One has ended for now.
His 14-year career has not been an easy journey. Sergio, famously known as Checo, moved from Mexico to Germany at the age of 15 to chase his F1 dreams. He recalls it as a difficult decision but one of the most important.
Pérez made his F1 debut in 2011 with Sauber, becoming the first Mexican driver in F1 since 1981. He has had incredible races during his career, even gaining the Minister of Defense and King of the Streets nicknames. He holds a total of six race wins and 39 podiums.
Sauber (2011-2012)
His dream of breaking into F1 had come true. Although he did not win during his tenure with Sauber, he achieved three podium finishes.
2012 Malaysian Grand Prix
Pérez started ninth place in a 56-lap race behind drivers such as Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.
A race in the rain proved challenging for drivers. Heavy showers and a track covered with water called for the right strategy.
Pérez pitted first in the race and found himself in third place after everyone pitted much later for wet tyres. The race was stopped due to the downpour, and the drivers were lined up on the grid when they arrived.
On Lap 15, Pérez went into the pits to change to intermediate tyres and came out ahead of Alonso, who had pitted the lap before. However, Alonso had the better tyre grip, and overtook Pérez for P1.
Although the fight between the two continued, Pérez hit a wet patch and went wide off-track. Alonso won the race, but Pérez maintained his second place, making it his first podium in F1.
There was much to celebrate as Sauber achieved their highest victory since the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix.
2012 Italian Grand Prix
Once again, Pérez ended at the podium in second place after starting in twelfth. It was a home race for the Ferrari family; however, a special moment on the podium stood out for the young Mexican driver.
Pérez fought his way from the midfield in his Sauber, showing his skills in the car and his pace that weekend. F1 legend Niki Lauda admired such a drive, taking off his hat and bowing to the Mexican Wunderkind, who had struck again.
McLaren (2013)
Pérez moved to McLaren after Lewis Hamilton moved to Mercedes. He may have been unable to score another podium finish with the team, but he did score a top-five finish at the Indian Grand Prix. His time with McLaren was short-lived.
Force India/Racing Point (2014-2020)
During his time in Force India, he scored the team’s first podium finish since 2009. Throughout his tenure with the team and through the rebranding, he scored seven podiums, including a maiden win.
2016 Monaco Grand Prix
Monaco is one of the highest regarded races in the F1 calendar. Due to the nature of its difficult overtaking, the track favors a front row start for a win or podium finish. It is even more difficult in the rain.
In Sunday’s race, which began behind a safety car due to inclement weather, Pérez started in seventh place. Drivers initially set out with full wet tyres to combat the weather but ultimately had to make adjustments.
Force India opted for Pérez to switch to intermediate tyres two laps after his opponents, bringing him out in fourth. Then, after the second round of pit stops for dry tyres, Pérez undercut his rivals, allowing him to secure a third-place finish.
“Today I knew it was a great opportunity not to be on the podium but to show off my talent,” the Mexican expressed in a post-race interview.
2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
This Grand Prix is held at the Baku City Circuit, a temporary street circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan. After a podium finish in the 2016 European Grand Prix held at the same circuit, Perez had previous success on the circuit.
He started the race in eighth place but fell back to 15th after a chaotic first lap. Pérez then made contact with the back of Kimi Räikkönen’s car, forcing him to pit for a new front wing. A five-second penalty was consequently served for the incident.
He climbed to fifth place behind Sebastian Vettel, who had failed at taking the lead. Race leader Valtteri Bottas had to retire in lap 48 out of 51, after a puncture, which allowed Pérez to overtake Vettel for third, adding another Baku success.
2020 Turkish Grand Prix
Pérez and renamed Racing Point were under the rain with a third-place start. He got a faster launch on the start than future teammate Max Verstappen, thus taking second place. However, the battle between the two had just begun.
After Verstappen recovered places, he was quick to chase after Pérez for second place.
2020 Sakhir Grand Prix
Ten years and 190 race starts later, Pérez finally tasted victory. He became the first Mexican Grand Prix winner since Pedro Rodriguez in 1970. Sergio Pérez had finally accomplished his dream of becoming a race winner.
It was a challenging race for the Racing Point man, though, who started fifth, especially considering a collision with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen on the first lap dropped Pérez to last place.
Nonetheless, the Mexican had the pace and skill to cut through the grid and quickly rose up the standings with no issues.
A safety car was issued on lap 55 out of 87, and while everyone else pitted, he stayed out, keeping himself in third place.
This was crucial as when another safety car was issued and a Mercedes pitstop mix-up, the win was nearly there. George Russell was after Pérez for first place, but then, with a puncture, Russell had to abandon the fight.
Sergio Pérez drove to victory. After being in last place at the end of the first lap, a victory was ruled out. However, Pérez showed his determination to win. He had become a race winner but had no team for the 2021 season.
Red Bull Racing (2021-2024)
Red Bull Racing is the final team Pérez raced for in F1, but he managed to set records. Throughout his years with the team, he had 29 podiums, including 5 wins. He aided in Max Verstappen’s first World Drivers’ Championship.
Pérez additionally made history with the team by becoming vice-champion in 2023. It marked Red Bull’s first 1-2 in the Drivers’ Championship, the highest-ever position in Red Bull history and Pérez’s highest finish in the Drivers’ Championship.
2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
It didn’t take long for Pérez to see victory in a Red Bull. His second Grand Prix win came at the Baku City Circuit. Pérez started in sixth in this race and quickly jumped up in places.
In the opening lap, Pérez overtook to get to fourth. Although he had a slow pit stop in lap 14, he still came out in front of Hamilton and took second place.
What seemed like a 1-2 finish for Red Bull came crashing down on lap 47 when Verstappen suffered tyre failure, ending his race.
At the restart, Hamilton was chasing for the win but had a lock-up that sent him off the racing line. From there, Pérez drove to the checkered flag and took his win.
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Winning at the Circuit de Monaco is a highlight for drivers. Sergio Pérez won Monaco in 2022 after starting in third place behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
On lap 17, Pérez pitted for intermediate tyres, leaving Verstappen and Leclerc to follow suit two laps later.
On lap 21, Sainz pitted for hard tyres and while Leclerc was told to do the same for a double-stack, such had been an accident. Ferrari backtracked, aiming to fix their mistake, but it was too late; he was already in the pitlane.
Meanwhile, Red Bull carried out a successful double-stack, allowing Pérez to come out ahead of Sainz for the lead. Regardless of the graining the Mexican suffered on his car, he still won the race.
The win was widely celebrated, with Sergio Pérez even being seen jumping in the infamous Red Bull pool. He was the first Mexican driver to win in Monaco, and that emotion was felt as the Mexican national anthem was played.
2022 Singapore Grand Prix
After a delayed start to the race, the drivers lined up with Sergio Pérez in second and Charles Leclerc in first. It did not take long for Pérez to take the lead as he overtook Leclerc into Turn 1.
He led the entire race, bringing yet another victory under his belt, only to be investigated.
Pérez was informed that a post-race investigation would be performed for safety car infringement, resulting in a five-second penalty. His race engineer Hugh Bird alerted him of this and said, “Let’s disappear,” and that is exactly what Pérez did.
He crossed the finish line with a 7.595-second gap over Leclerc, which was reduced to 2.595 after the penalty.
“This is how we do it man. We shut our mouths and work hard. This is the Mexican way,” Pérez said on his radio after crossing the finish line.
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Despite taking pole position a year prior, Perez finished the race in fourth place. He wished to remedy that and take the win this time around. He once again set the fastest lap in qualifying, winning pole position.
A determined Pérez lost the lead to Fernando Alonso into Turn 1, but only three laps passed before he took back the lead. Displaying incredible pace, the Mexican took the victory in Jeddah. His teammate Max Verstappen took second, procuring another Red Bull 1-2.
2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
After previous quality races, a Grand Prix win and a Sprint win at Baku, there was another chance for Pérez to show his skills. In this race, he started from third place behind Leclerc in first and teammate Verstappen in second.
Verstappen quickly overtook for first place on lap 4, and Pérez followed, overtaking for second on lap 5.
Verstappen held the lead until lap 11 when he pitted, and a safety car was called out, causing him to come out in third.
Pérez was left as the leader and made his pitstop under the safety car. After the restart, Leclerc challenged Perez for the lead, but he defended and kept his place.
It was smooth sailing to the chequered flag, allowing Pérez to win his sixth race. This race also marked Pérez’s last win in F1. He became the only driver to win the race twice and holds the record for most race wins in Baku.
How Sergio Pérez captured Mexico pride at his home event
Although Sergio Pérez may not have won his home race, the crowd never failed to welcome him back. He finished on the podium twice, once in 2021 and the other in 2022. He was celebrated and cheered on by his home crowd.
Mexico got to see one of its own in the pinnacle of motorsports, which is rare. He proudly raised the Mexican flag at his home race and was always proud to represent it. The Mexico Grand Prix was a homecoming for the driver from Guadalajara.
Checo Pérez opened the doors for many young kids from Mexico and other Latin American countries.
He left his home country to achieve his dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver, and has inspired drivers such as IndyCar’s Pato O’Ward and Formula 3’s Noel Leon.
Pérez will live as one of the greatest Mexican drivers and most successful in Formula 1. He is a beacon of hope that dreams can come true. Fans and fellow drivers continue to Gracias Checo!
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