The Mexican driver has accomplished feats no other countryman has in Formula One while emerging as a ‘street circuit specialist’ during a team title season.
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Sergio Pérez has had a record-breaking year.
His maiden pole at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in late March made him the first Mexican driver in F1 history to take pole. The Red Bull driver pulled off a late shock as he edged past Charles Leclerc by two-hundredths of a second. It came after he and teammate Max Verstappen both did not finish the season opener in Bahrain. Fast forward to late May, Pérez made F1 history once again as he became the first Mexican driver to win the Monaco Grand Prix, a race that was filled with heavy rain and red flags.
He became the most successful Mexican driver in F1 history after winning his third race, which came just a week after team orders had him cede the lead to Verstappen in Spain.
“It’s a dream come true,” Pérez said in Monaco. “It’s a massive day for myself and my country.”
But, his surge didn’t end there despite a few speed bumps with DNFs in Canada and Austria, and a sixth-place finish in Italy. Pérez showed he’s a “street circuit specialist” after winning F1’s beloved night race, the Singapore Grand Prix. A heavy downpour delayed the start, and drivers struggled to find the dry line at first. As the field was picked off one by one, ending with 14 of the 20 drivers finishing, Pérez came out on top with just a tad over seven seconds on second-place Leclerc.
That race is one he described as his “best performance [in F1].”
Pérez has found himself on the podium 10 times over the span of 20 races, helping push Red Bull to its first constructors’ championship since 2013. While Verstappen sealed the drivers’ title back in Japan, Pérez is five points ahead of Ferrari’s Leclerc for second place in the standings. With a sprint race this weekend as well, the 32-year-old has the chance to secure vital points as he hunts down a one-two finish for Red Bull to end the season.
The Mexican driver brings a level of finesse to the F1 scene, posing as a dual threat with the ability to manage his tires for extra performance as he brings a heated battle to his competitors. Racing may be in his blood, but Pérez had to forge his own path into Formula One, overcoming the odds.
At one point, the Mexican racing federation withdrew his license, and he didn’t race in his home country for over a decade, the driver wrote in a recent Players’ Tribune piece. He managed to get a test with Escudería Telmex and went to race for them in the U.S. And when he decided to make the leap to Europe, Pérez wrote that he had to chase down potential teams through faxes and cold calls and somehow find a sponsor.
Now, at 32 and married with kids and dogs, he’s with the top team in the pinnacle of motorsport, showing a new generation that dreams do come true.
As F1 heads to the penultimate race, São Paulo Grand Prix, Sports Illustrated spoke with Pérez about what happened at the Mexico City Grand Prix, his special helmet with Disney for this weekend and more.
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Fuel for Thought is Sports Illustrated’s exclusive Q&A with Formula One’s biggest names. The following questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Sports Illustrated: What was it like being back home? The crowd was absolutely wild.
Sergio Pérez: It was amazing. The crowd support we have back home was incredible. Very enjoyable to see everyone supporting us.
SI: What stood out from the Mexico City Grand Prix that maybe didn't make the headlines, whether about your own drive or just the weekend in general?
SP: The amount of issues we had in qualifying. We had an electrical issue, which really compromises things, and we still managed to qualify fourth. But obviously, that remained really private within the team on what happened. But it was very difficult qualifying for me. I think it hurt our chances of winning the race.
SI: Obviously, the sport is super physical, but there's also the mental component. How do you reorient yourself when there's things that are out of your control, like in qualifying with an electrical issue?
SP: It's always very important to be able to keep yourself in neutral. Don't get too excited when things are going well, and don't get too down when things are going wrong. And that's the main thing for us, I think.
SI: Looking ahead to this weekend, what should fans be watching for with this weekend's Grand Prix? It’s a historical one. What part of the track is the most challenging and why?
SP: I think certainly the sector three because it has a very long straight. The final corner you arrive with everything pretty much overheated, and you still have to get a good exit.
SI: It’s the penultimate race. It’s been a very long season. How would you describe this season in one word and why?
SP: Exciting because we faced a lot of challenging races, a lot of challenges through the season. It was generally fairly enjoyable.
SI: Whether that's a race specific or if there was an overtake or something, what is one moment that you're most proud of from this year?
SP: Winning Monaco. To me, it was the most proud moment up until now.
SI: Do you like the street circuits more or do you prefer more of a normal track?
SP: I like more the street circuits.
SI: This weekend you have a really cool helmet. How did that helmet come to be? Why did you do it for this weekend?
SP: I have a special collaboration with Disney, and it's really cool to be able to to get this sort of helmet with Black Panther coming out soon. It was certainly a very enjoyable moment. My son is a massive fan of Black Panther.
SI: What was his reaction to it?
SP: He was happy about it. Yeah, looking forward for the helmet.
SI: Are you a Marvel fan? And is this his favorite Marvel character or is there someone else he prefers more?
SP: Yeah, he’s constantly changing every week. Right now, I think it’s Black Panther, but it is changing.
SI: So, I have a simple but a deep question—who is Checo?
SP: Normal guy with 32 years of age and drives cars on Sundays and is very busy throughout the year, but generally a 32-year-old Mexican.
SI: What is your happy place outside of racing and outside of the track?
SP: Being at home with my family, certainly. With friends and people I know.
SI: What is one question you wish people would ask you more and how would you answer?
SP: [after much pondering] That would be the best actually—not to ask any questions.
SI: Would you describe yourself as more of a backseat driver? Or are you O.K. with letting go control of the wheel when you're off the track?
SP: Yeah, I'm okay with the wheel if someone else controls. I can sit back and relax unless it's a very bad driver. But generally, I’m O.K. with other people driving.
SI: Is it difficult when you're driving off of the track to go the normal speed limit and slowing down because that's a massive difference between what we're driving daily versus what y'all are doing on the track
SP: Yeah, generally it’s fine. It’s generally O.K.
SI: Taking Max’s question, cats versus dogs. Do you prefer one or the other? Do you like both? Why?
SP: Dogs. I feel they’re a bit more friendly, more loyal. I’ve never had cats in my life so I’m always more of a dog person.
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