Sergio Pérez
Sergio Pérez | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sergio Michel Pérez Mendoza January 26, 1990 Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Other names | Checo |
| Occupation | Racing driver |
| Years active | 2011–present (Formula One) |
| Known for | Formula One racing driver, second place in 2022 World Drivers' Championship |
| Notable work | Multiple Grand Prix victories, first win after 190 races, first pole after 219 races |
Sergio Michel "Checo" Pérez Mendoza (; born 26 January 1990) is a Mexican racing driver who participated in Formula One between and . In , Pérez finished second in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship with Red Bull, achieving Grand Prix victories throughout a 14-year career.
Originating from Guadalajara, Pérez started karting at age six and claimed his first title in the national category of the 2007 British Formula 3 International Series. He progressed to the GP2 Series in 2009, securing second place in 2010 while driving for Addax. Having joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2010, Pérez made his Formula One debut with Sauber in , alongside teammate Kamui Kobayashi. After overcoming early difficulties, he earned several podium finishes in , including at Malaysia, Canada, and Italy.
In , Pérez transferred to McLaren, taking over from Lewis Hamilton, but did not achieve any podium results. He moved to Force India in , where he collected five podiums before the team transitioned to Racing Point in . Competing for Racing Point in , Pérez ended the season fourth in the standings and secured his first career victory at the Grand Prix, coming back from last place on the opening lap.
Following his replacement by Sebastian Vettel at the renamed Aston Martin for , Pérez joined Red Bull as teammate to Max Verstappen. He claimed his inaugural win with Red Bull at the Grand Prix and added further triumphs at Monaco and Singapore during , also earning his first pole position in Saudi Arabia and finishing third overall. In , Pérez was runner-up to Verstappen, winning again at Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. After a goalless season, he and Red Bull parted ways by mutual agreement, having played a role in securing two World Constructors' Championship titles.
Pérez holds records for the most races started before achieving a first win (190) and before obtaining a first pole position (219). His overall Formula One statistics include victories, poles, fastest laps, and podium placements.
Early and personal life
Sergio Michel Pérez Mendoza was born on 26 January 1990 in Guadalajara, Jalisco. He is the youngest child of Antonio Pérez Garibay and Marilú Mendoza de Pérez, with an older sister named Paola and an elder brother, Antonio, who formerly competed as a stock car racer in the NASCAR Mexico Series. Pérez is married to Carola Martínez Galindo; together they have four children. He practices the Catholic faith.
Both Pérez siblings are supporters of association football and had contemplated professional soccer careers before committing to motorsport. They maintain a friendship with Mexican footballer Javier Hernández. In a 2012 interview, Pérez revealed that if he had not become a racing driver, he would have pursued law.
Karting
Pérez's karting journey began at six years old in 1996. During his debut year, he won four races and finished second overall in the junior division. In 1997, competing as the youngest participant in the Youth Class, he secured one victory and five podium finishes, ending fourth in the standings.
The following year, he returned to the junior category, capturing eight wins and becoming its youngest-ever champion. Additionally, he raced in Shifter 125cc and Master Kadets classes, achieving several podium results. In 1999, racing within the 80cc Shifter division, he earned three wins and finished third overall, gaining special Federation approval as the youngest winner.
In 2000, Pérez competed in the Shifter 80cc Championship alongside three Telmex Challenge Shifter 125cc events. By 2001, as the youngest racer in the regional 125cc Shifter class, he attracted interest from Escuderia Telmex talent scouts. In 2002, after winning six races, he was runner-up nationally in Shifter 125cc and also participated internationally at Las Vegas, qualifying fifth and finishing eleventh.
Although leading two separate championships within the 125cc category during 2003, Pérez withdrew from the final seven races, ending his title aspirations. He placed third overall in the Telmex Challenge and was runner-up for its Cup in Mexico. That year also saw him win the Easy Kart 125 Shootout against international competitors as its youngest victor.
Skip Barber
In 2004, Pérez took part in the US Skip Barber National Championship, driving for a team backed by Telmex, and concluded the season in eleventh place overall.
Formula BMW
Pérez relocated to Europe in 2005 to compete in the German Formula BMW ADAC series with 4speed Media. Benefiting from the support and hospitality of his team manager during his initial months, he finished fourteenth in his rookie year and advanced to sixth position the following season.
A1 Grand Prix
During the 2006–07 A1 Grand Prix season, Pérez represented A1 Team Mexico in a single event, earning the distinction of being the third-youngest participant in the championship.
Formula Three
In 2007, Pérez joined the National Class of the British Formula 3 Championship with T-Sport. He dominated the category by winning two-thirds of the races and pole positions, while appearing on the podium in all but two contests. To further his career, he moved to Oxford.
For 2008, Pérez and T-Sport progressed to compete in the International Class, utilizing a Mugen Honda power unit. He led early stages of the campaign and ultimately secured fourth place in the overall driver standings.
GP2 Series
Pérez signed with Campos Grand Prix for the 2008–09 GP2 Asia Series, partnering with Vitaly Petrov. He was the first Mexican driver at this tier since Giovanni Aloi's appearance in 1990. Pérez claimed his inaugural GP2 Asia victory at Sakhir from pole position and followed up with another win at Losail in Qatar.
For the 2009 GP2 Series, he switched to Arden International, finishing twelfth overall and achieving a best result of second place at Valencia. During the off-season, he competed in two rounds for Addax Team before joining them full-time in 2010. That year, Pérez secured five race victories and concluded as runner-up to Pastor Maldonado in the championship.
2011: Debut season
On 4 October 2010, it was announced that Pérez would join Sauber for , replacing Nick Heidfeld and bringing sponsorship from Telmex. He became the fifth Mexican to race in Formula One and entered the Ferrari Driver Academy later that month.
Pérez impressed by finishing seventh in his first Grand Prix, the , completing only one tyre change—the fewest among all drivers—before both Sauber cars were excluded due to technical violations. In Malaysia, debris from Sébastien Buemi's vehicle forced him to retire. His performance dipped in China where contact with other competitors resulted in a 17th-place finish. He then placed 14th in Turkey and earned his first points with a ninth-place finish in Spain, ahead of teammate Kamui Kobayashi.
During Monaco qualifying, Pérez suffered a severe crash after losing control exiting the tunnel, resulting in a sprained thigh and concussion. This caused him to miss the race and subsequently withdraw from the Canadian Grand Prix due to ongoing symptoms; he was substituted by Pedro de la Rosa.
Upon returning at the European Grand Prix, Pérez finished 11th employing a one-stop strategy. He achieved a career-best seventh place at the British Grand Prix and scored points sporadically throughout the season, including eighth in Japan and tenth in India. Several races were compromised by mechanical issues. He ended his rookie year ranked sixteenth in the Drivers' Championship with fourteen points.
On 28 July, Pérez's continuation with Sauber for was confirmed alongside teammate Kobayashi. On 13 September, he participated in testing a Ferrari F60 as part of his involvement with the Ferrari Driver Academy together with Jules Bianchi.
2012: First Podium Finishes
Pérez kicked off the 2012 season by securing eighth place in Australia, though he lost several positions on the last lap due to tyre degradation. During the Malaysian Grand Prix, he engaged in a close battle with Fernando Alonso for victory, ultimately finishing second after a late mistake. This achievement was widely acclaimed and represented Sauber's top result as an independent outfit. His impressive drive fueled rumors of a potential Ferrari move, but Pérez anticipated staying with Sauber for the entire 2012 campaign.
At the Chinese Grand Prix that year, Pérez achieved a personal best qualifying position of eighth but ended up eleventh because of pit stop strategy complications and clutch difficulties. Despite setting the fastest lap in Monaco, he failed to score points in subsequent races before claiming his second career podium by finishing third at the Canadian Grand Prix, starting from fifteenth on the grid.
In the European Grand Prix, Pérez struggled with handling issues that limited him to fifteenth in qualifying; however, he improved to ninth during the race, underscoring qualifying as a key challenge for the team. The British Grand Prix saw him retire following contact with Pastor Maldonado, whom Pérez later accused of reckless driving; Maldonado received a reprimand and a €10,000 fine as a result.
Beginning seventeenth on the grid in Germany, Pérez advanced to finish sixth. At Belgium, he qualified fifth—later promoted to fourth after Maldonado’s penalty—but was forced to retire on the opening lap due to a multi-car collision involving Romain Grosjean and others.
At the Italian Grand Prix, Pérez secured his third podium despite starting twelfth. By effectively managing his tyres—beginning on hard compounds and switching to mediums on lap 29—he led for five laps and ultimately finished second. He wrapped up the season tenth in the Drivers' Championship with 66 points, outscoring teammate Kamui Kobayashi by six.
Pérez’s consistent strong showings at Sauber earned him the moniker "The Mexican Wunderkind."
McLaren (2013)
On 28 September 2012, it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would leave McLaren for Mercedes starting in 2013, with Pérez confirmed as his successor. He also assumed Hamilton’s role in McLaren’s animated series Tooned, marking an end to his association with Ferrari after departing their driver academy.
During the 2013 Australian Grand Prix, Pérez qualified 15th and finished 11th, describing the weekend as challenging for both himself and McLaren. At the following event, he started ninth and maintained that position to earn his first points for McLaren while setting the fastest lap following a tyre change.
At the Bahrain Grand Prix, Pérez began from 12th place and climbed to finish sixth, ahead of Fernando Alonso (8th) and his teammate Jenson Button (10th). This race intensified on-track rivalry between Pérez and Button.
After Bahrain, Button publicly criticized Pérez’s aggressive style of driving:
In Monaco, Pérez executed multiple bold overtakes before retiring after colliding with Kimi Räikkönen, who later remarked that Pérez deserved to be "punched in the face." He recorded his best finish of the season at the Indian Grand Prix by placing fifth, narrowly missing out on a podium spot and expressing satisfaction with this outcome.
On 13 November 2013, Pérez announced he would leave McLaren at season’s end and be replaced by Kevin Magnussen. A month later, on 12 December, Force India revealed Pérez would join Nico Hülkenberg for 2014 under a contract reportedly worth €15 million.
Force India / Racing Point (2014–2020)
On 12 December 2013, it was officially announced that Pérez would join Force India for the upcoming season.
2014
Pérez earned his initial point for Force India at the , finishing 11th but promoted to 10th after Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified. He was unable to start the due to gearbox troubles but recovered strongly in Bahrain by claiming third place, securing Force India's first podium since 2009 and finishing ahead of Ricciardo's Red Bull. Starting from 16th at the , he advanced to ninth by overtaking several rivals. Although he qualified tenth in Monaco, his race ended prematurely following contact with Jenson Button.
In Canada, Pérez was in contention for a podium before brake issues caused him to drop positions. On the final lap, a collision with Felipe Massa led to both drivers retiring; Pérez was penalized with a five-place grid drop for the subsequent race due to altering his racing line. At the Austrian Grand Prix, he set his third-fastest lap ever and one of the quickest laps recorded by Force India.
On 7 November 2014, Force India confirmed that Pérez would remain with the team for the season. Negotiations extended late into the year, concluding with a two-year contract extension signed during the , ensuring his place through the end of .
2015
The 2015 campaign started with Pérez finishing tenth in Australia, followed by 13th in Malaysia, 11th in China, and eighth in Bahrain. He achieved notable results including fifth in Belgium and sixth in Italy. His highlight came at the Russian Grand Prix, where he earned his first podium of the year and Force India's third overall. During the Hungarian Grand Prix, Pérez experienced a rear suspension failure that caused a barrel roll crash; fortunately, he was unharmed. He concluded the season ninth in the Drivers' Championship with a personal best of 78 points, outscoring teammate Hülkenberg by 20 points. Beyond Russia, Pérez secured three additional top-five finishes in Belgium, the United States, and Abu Dhabi, accumulating 63 points across the final nine races. In qualifying sessions throughout the year, he outqualified his teammate eight times, including six occasions in the last nine events.
2016
The start of 2016 proved difficult for Pérez due to an uncompetitive VJM09 car; however, he managed to score points with a ninth-place finish in Russia. Performance improvements introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix enhanced competitiveness, leading to a seventh-place result.
At the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix, Pérez secured his sixth podium and Force India's fourth overall under wet conditions, elevating him to ninth in the Drivers' Championship standings. His adept tyre management and well-timed pit strategies enabled him to fend off challengers such as Sebastian Vettel.
During the 2016 European Grand Prix held in Baku, despite starting seventh on the grid due to a gearbox penalty, Pérez impressively climbed to finish third after overtaking Kimi Räikkönen on the last lap. This achievement marked his second podium within three races and underscored his determination and driving skill throughout the season.
2017
After the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix, Pérez reaffirmed his decision to remain with Force India for the 2017 campaign, continuing alongside his new teammate Esteban Ocon. This confirmation dispelled rumors linking him to moves with Williams, Renault, or Haas. Throughout the season, he showed steady performance, achieving his best result of fourth place at the Spanish Grand Prix, aided by incidents involving competitors. His sequence of 17 consecutive points finishes was broken following a collision during the Monaco race. Friction developed between Pérez and Ocon in Canada and Azerbaijan, where their collision forced Pérez to retire. He secured seventh place in Austria and ultimately ended the year seventh in the standings, finishing behind Ocon.
2018
The 2018 season started with Pérez failing to score points in his first three events; however, he earned his eighth career podium by finishing third at the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, overtaking then-race leader Sebastian Vettel. This achievement made him the first driver to claim two podiums at the Baku City Circuit (2016 and 2018). He continued accumulating points with finishes such as ninth in Spain and seventh in Austria and Germany, but retired from the French Grand Prix due to engine issues.
Following the 2018 Hungarian Grand Prix, Force India entered administration triggered by creditor actions, including those initiated by Pérez to avoid liquidation. Prior to the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, a consortium led by investor Lawrence Stroll purchased Force India's assets, rebranding the outfit as Racing Point Force India while retaining both Pérez and Ocon. At Belgium, Pérez qualified fourth and Ocon third; they finished fifth and sixth respectively.
During the latter half of the season, Pérez scored points in seven out of nine races but faced criticism after colliding with Ocon at Singapore, ending Ocon’s race prematurely. Additionally, he collided with Sergey Sirotkin, resulting in a drive-through penalty that Pérez later accepted as justified. A brake failure forced him to retire at his home event in Mexico. He completed the season eighth in the drivers’ championship with 62 points, finishing ahead of teammate Ocon and standing as the sole driver outside Mercedes, Ferrari, or Red Bull to reach the podium that year.
2019
In 2019, Racing Point Force India underwent rebranding to become Racing Point, retaining Sergio Pérez alongside former Williams driver Lance Stroll. The team regarded 2019 as a transitional year due to disruptions caused by previous administration issues affecting car development. Pérez began strongly with a sixth-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but then experienced an eight-race stretch without scoring points, which included a crash during the rain-affected German Grand Prix, where Stroll managed a fourth-place finish after briefly leading.
Pérez’s form notably improved in the second half of the season, earning points in every race after summer break except for a retirement at the Singapore Grand Prix caused by an oil leak. Key performances included sixth place in Belgium and remarkable recoveries from low grid positions: seventh in Italy starting 18th, eighth in Japan from 17th on the grid, and tenth at the United States Grand Prix after beginning from the pit lane.
He wrapped up the season tenth overall in the drivers’ championship with 52 points, clearly outperforming teammate Stroll.
2020: First Triumph
Pérez extended his agreement with Racing Point until 2022. Nevertheless, he tested positive for COVID-19 shortly before the 2020 British Grand Prix, causing him to miss that event as well as the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, with Nico Hülkenberg stepping in as his replacement. After receiving a negative test result, Pérez made his comeback at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix, where he qualified fourth and completed the race in fifth place. In September 2020, he declared his intention to leave Racing Point at the conclusion of the season, with Sebastian Vettel announced as his successor as the team prepared to rebrand as Aston Martin for .
At the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix, Pérez earned his ninth Formula 1 podium by moving up from third to second amid difficult wet weather conditions, finishing behind teammate Lance Stroll and race winner Lewis Hamilton. During the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, he was forced to retire late in the race due to an MGU-K electrical malfunction while running in third position.
Following his announcement to depart, outlets such as The Race underscored the unfairness of Pérez potentially missing out on a seat for 2021. Former driver and analyst Martin Brundle advocated for Red Bull Racing to consider Pérez as a teammate for Max Verstappen.
Pérez achieved his inaugural Formula 1 victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, recovering from a first-lap incident that dropped him to last place. Demonstrating remarkable pace, he advanced through the field to claim victory ahead of Esteban Ocon and teammate Stroll, marking the first Mexican driver to win an F1 race since Pedro Rodríguez in 1970.
He wrapped up the season with 125 points, one win, and one podium finish, securing fourth place in the drivers' standings—his highest championship position prior to joining Red Bull Racing, which he equaled in 2021.
2021: Debut Year with Red Bull
In 2021, Pérez joined Red Bull Racing, taking over from Alex Albon, who transitioned to reserve and test driver duties alongside Max Verstappen.
During his debut at the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix, Pérez finished fifth despite suffering an electrical issue on the formation lap that relegated him to start from the pit lane. At the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, he qualified second—his first time on the front row—outperforming teammate Verstappen in qualifying.
At the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, starting sixth, Pérez capitalized on Verstappen’s late crash to secure his second career victory and Red Bull’s first win of that season. He followed this with a third-place finish at the 2021 French Grand Prix, marking back-to-back podiums for the first time.
In a tactical contest at the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix, Pérez finished fourth after battling Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas. Despite a pre-race crash at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix that forced him to start at the back, he was classified 19th due to race circumstances.
Pérez added another podium at the rain-affected 2021 Turkish Grand Prix, finishing third after a close fight with Lewis Hamilton. At the 2021 United States Grand Prix, he started and finished third despite dealing with a malfunctioning drinks system that hindered his performance.
Competing on home soil at the 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix, Pérez secured his third consecutive podium by finishing third just behind Hamilton. In the season finale at Abu Dhabi, his defensive driving against Hamilton was crucial in allowing Verstappen to close a seven-second gap and clinch the championship. Pérez retired late in the race due to suspected engine troubles. Verstappen lauded him as a "true team player" and expressed optimism about continuing their collaboration.
Pérez ended the year with 190 points, including one victory and five podiums, achieving fourth place overall—matching his best championship finish from 2020.
2022: First pole position and third place in the championship
For the 2022 season, Pérez continued his tenure with Red Bull. In May, after triumphing at the Monaco Grand Prix, he renewed his contract extending through 2024.
He earned his inaugural pole position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix during his 215th Grand Prix start, setting a new record for the longest wait before a first pole and becoming the first Mexican driver to achieve this milestone. Pérez led the race until lap 16 but fell back to fourth following a safety car period and subsequent pit stops, ultimately finishing in that position.
At the Australian Grand Prix, Pérez secured third on the grid and completed the race in second place behind teammate Max Verstappen. His strong performance included overtaking Fernando Alonso and George Russell, marking his sixteenth career podium and sixth while racing for Red Bull.
During the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Pérez started seventh but climbed to finish second, helping Red Bull achieve their first 1-2 finish since 2016.
At the Spanish Grand Prix, despite missing FP1, Pérez qualified fifth. Throughout the race, he battled for positions and ended up second behind Verstappen after team orders influenced their strategies, although he voiced some reservations about those directives.
In qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix, Pérez secured third but crashed. In challenging wet-dry conditions during the race, he took command and claimed victory, securing his third career win.
At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Pérez qualified second and finished as runner-up to Verstappen. Team instructions prevented direct competition between them, with this result marking Pérez’s twentieth career podium.
Despite being involved in a first-lap collision at the British Grand Prix that dropped him to 17th, Pérez made an impressive recovery to finish second and was honored as Driver of the Day.
For the Belgian Grand Prix, strategic grid arrangements placed Pérez second on the starting lineup. Although he had a poor launch off the line, he recovered to finish behind Verstappen in second place, contributing to another Red Bull 1-2 finish.
Pérez claimed victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, leading every lap in a race shortened by delays. Following the event, he received a reprimand and a five-second penalty for a safety car infringement but retained his win and was named Driver of the Day.
In Japan, Pérez qualified fourth and finished in second place after benefiting from a penalty applied to Charles Leclerc. This result contributed to Red Bull’s fifth 1-2 finish of the season and confirmed Verstappen as world champion.
At his home event in Mexico City, Pérez started from fourth on the grid and secured third place behind Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen, maintaining consistent podium finishes.
During the São Paulo race, Pérez began ninth but ran as high as third before a safety car disrupted his strategy, resulting in a sixth-place finish. An internal acknowledgment was made regarding a disagreement with Verstappen over position swaps within the team.
In the final round at Abu Dhabi, Pérez qualified second ahead of Leclerc and finished third after strategic pit stops and on-track battles. This performance secured him third place in the 2022 Drivers' Championship standings.
Pérez wrapped up the season with 305 points, including 2 wins, 1 pole position, 11 podiums, and 3 fastest laps—his most successful Formula One campaign to date.
2023: Championship runner-up
During the opening round in Bahrain, Pérez matched teammate Verstappen throughout qualifying until a late-corner oversteer cost him pole position by 0.15 seconds. He ultimately finished the race in second place, trailing Verstappen by approximately 11 seconds.
At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen encountered a technical fault that prevented him from advancing beyond Q2, enabling Pérez to secure his second career pole position. Although briefly overtaken by Fernando Alonso, Pérez reclaimed the lead and won by nearly five seconds, marking his fifth career victory and first triumph of the 2023 season.
In the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Pérez qualified second for the sprint race and third for the main event, claiming victory in both. This sixth career win closed the gap to Verstappen in the Drivers' Championship to six points and established Pérez as the first driver to win the Azerbaijan GP multiple times.
Pérez earned pole position at the Miami Grand Prix after qualifying was cut short by a red flag, which prevented Verstappen from setting a competitive time. During the race, Verstappen passed Pérez following pit stops to take victory, with Pérez finishing as runner-up.
After several rounds without reaching Q3 or podium finishes, Pérez qualified second behind Verstappen for the sprint at the Austrian GP. Despite starting fifteenth in the main race, he secured second place in both sprint and grand prix.
At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Pérez started ninth but managed to finish third, earning him Driver of the Day recognition.
During the Belgian GP, Pérez began second on the grid due to Verstappen's penalty but was forced to retire from the sprint after sustaining contact damage. In the grand prix, he overtook Charles Leclerc early on but ultimately finished second behind Verstappen.
Following a near-podium finish at the Dutch GP, Pérez qualified fifth in Italy despite suffering an engine issue. Starting behind both Ferraris and Verstappen, he overtook competitors to claim second place.
A retirement in Japan coupled with an eighth-place result in Singapore increased pressure on Pérez as Lewis Hamilton closed in on his championship points tally. At Qatar, needing to outscore Verstappen by 32 points to remain in contention, Pérez qualified 13th and was eliminated from title contention after a collision involving Esteban Ocon took him out during the sprint race. Verstappen was subsequently crowned 2023 World Champion. Pérez finished tenth in the main race after receiving penalties.
At the United States GP, Pérez finished fourth but retired early at his home event, the Mexican GP, following a collision with Leclerc. He bounced back with fourth place in Brazil and third in Las Vegas, securing second overall in the Drivers' Championship and delivering Red Bull Racing their inaugural 1-2 finish in the final standings.
Pérez ended the season with a total of 285 points, including two wins, two pole positions, nine podiums, and two fastest laps.
2024: Season without wins and exit
Pérez started the 2024 campaign by securing back-to-back runner-up finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, followed by podium appearances in Japan and China. During the Monaco Grand Prix, he was involved in a collision on the opening lap. Prior to the Canadian Grand Prix, Pérez renewed his contract with Red Bull Racing until 2026. Nevertheless, he retired from the race after a crash damaged his rear wing. The following rounds presented difficulties: he fought with Haas driver Nico Hülkenberg in Austria, spun during British qualifying, was lapped while teammate Max Verstappen reached the podium, crashed in Hungarian qualifying but still scored points, and despite starting second in Belgium, finished behind Verstappen who had an engine penalty.
At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Pérez outqualified Verstappen for the first time since Miami 2023, starting from fourth on the grid. He advanced to third place on the opening lap and challenged Ferrari’s Sainz for second as pole-sitter Charles Leclerc suffered tire degradation. On the second-to-last lap, contact between Pérez and Sainz ended both drivers' races; stewards deemed it a racing incident. Despite outperforming his teammate in qualifying and practice sessions, this result was a letdown.
Throughout the year, Verstappen consistently held an advantage over Pérez. As the Red Bull RB20 lost competitiveness to McLaren and Ferrari, Pérez faced mounting pressure. His home Grand Prix in Mexico was notably disappointing: starting eighteenth behind Oscar Piastri, receiving a five-second penalty for a false start, and finishing seventeenth—last among classified finishers—while Verstappen climbed back to sixth after a penalty. Pérez later engaged in a position battle with Red Bull newcomer Liam Lawson, drawing criticism from team management. He ended eleventh in rain-affected São Paulo following an early spin, qualified sixteenth and finished tenth in Las Vegas, spun under safety car conditions in Qatar citing power issues, and retired from Abu Dhabi after a first-lap collision with Valtteri Bottas.
Pérez concluded the season eighth overall with 152 points, trailing championship winner Verstappen by 285 points. After the season's conclusion, Pérez and Red Bull mutually agreed to end their partnership prematurely; this marked the conclusion of their four-year collaboration. Liam Lawson was announced as his replacement for 2025.
Powerboat racing
Pérez owns the Sergio Pérez E1 Team, which competes in the 2024 E1 Series Championship.
Charitable work
In November 2012, Pérez founded the Checo Pérez Foundation, dedicated to aiding orphans and children battling cancer; it is managed by his sister Paola.
Summary of karting career
| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Super Karts Cup México — Superkart 125 (Light) JAP | Wap Racing | 19th |
| Super Karts Cup México — Superkart 80 (Light) | 10th | ||
| 2003 | Super Karts Cup México — Superkart 125 (Light) | WAP | 31st |
| Easykart Mexico — 100 cc | 4th | ||
| 2010 | Van der Drift Fundraiser | Oxfordshires | 2nd |
| 2016 | SKUSA SuperNationals — KZ2 | GP VCI Mexico | 28th |
| Source: | |||
Summary of racing career
| Season | Championship | Team | Starts | Victories | Pole positions | F/Laps | Podium finishes | Total points | Final standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Skip Barber National Championship | Telmex Racing | 14 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | 77 | 11th place |
| 2005 | Formula BMW ADAC | 4speed Media | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 14th place |
| 2006 | Formula BMW ADAC | ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 112 | 6th place |
| 2006–07 | A1 Grand Prix | A1 Team Mexico | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35† | 10th† |
| 2007 | British Formula 3 International Series - National Class | T-Sport | 21 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 19 | 376 | '1st' overall |
| 2008 | 'British Formula 3 International Series' | 'T-Sport' | '22' | '4' | '0' | '1' | '7' | '195' | '4th' overall |
| 2008–09 | 'GP2 Asia Series' | 'Campos Grand Prix' | '11' | '2' | '0' | '1' | '3' | '26' | '7th' overall |
| 2009 | 'GP2 Series' | 'Arden International' | '20' | '0' | '0' | '1' | '2' | '22' | '12th overall' |
| 2009–10 | 'GP2 Asia Series' | 'Barwa Addax Team' | '4' | '0' | '0' | '0' | '0' | '5' | '15th overall' |
| 2010 | 'GP2 Series' | 'Barwa Addax Team' | '20' | '5' | '1' | '5' | '7' | '71' | '2nd overall' |
2011–2024 Formula One World Championship overview:
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† Points tally includes contributions from other drivers.
Full Skip Barber National Championship results
(key) (Races highlighted in bold denote pole positions; those in italics represent fastest lap)
| Year | Team/Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final classification | Points scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Telmex Racing | SEB 1 13 |
SEB 2 17 |
VIR 1 7 |
VIR 2 17 |
ROA 1 20 |
ROA 2 8 |
HAL 1 8 |
HAL 2 11 |
MOS 1 10 |
MOS 2 6 |
MTT 1 9 |
MTT 2 9 |
ROA 1 3 |
ROA 2 16 |
11th place | 77 points |
Full Formula BMW ADAC Results
(key) (Races shown in bold denote pole position; races in italics signify fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Final Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 4speed Media | HOC 1 13 |
HOC 2 2 |
LAU 1 6 |
LAU 2 Ret |
SPA 1 5 |
SPA 2 DNS |
NÜR 1 15 |
NÜR 2 8 |
BRN 1 12 |
BRN 2 8 |
| ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg | 112 (6th) |}
Full A1 Grand Prix Results(key) (Races highlighted in bold represent pole positions; those in italics indicate fastest laps)
Complete British Formula Three Championship results(key) (Races shown in bold denote pole position; races in italics signify fastest lap)
Full GP2 Asia Series Results(key) (Races shown in bold denote pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Full GP2 Series Results(key) (Races highlighted in bold represent pole position; races in italics signify fastest lap) id=2010R !nowrap Barwa Addax Team style= background:DFFFDF CAT FEA small4 style= background:EFCFFF CAT SPR smallRet style= background:FFFFBF MON FEA small1 style= background:DFFFDF MON SPR small6 style= background:000000;color:white IST FEA smallDSQ style= background:CFCFFF IST SPR small7 style= background:CFCFFF VAL FEA small11 style= background:CFCFFF VAL SPR small16 style= background:DFFFDF SIL FEA small5 style= background:FFFFBF SIL SPR small1 style= background:DFDFDF HOC FEA small2 style= background:FFFFBF HOC SPR small1 style= background:ffdf9f HUN FEA small3 style= background:EFCFFF HUN SPR smallRet style= background:DFFFDF SPA FEA small7 style= background:FFFFBF SPA SPR small1 style= background:EFCFFF MNZ FEA smallRet style= background:CFCFFF MNZ SPR small13 style= background:FFFFBF YMC FEA small1 style= background:EFCFFF YMC SPR smallRet ! Second ! 71 |-
Complete Formula One results(key) (Races shown in bold denote pole positions; those in italics represent fastest laps) ... [Table continues with similar compression for subsequent years, omitting repetitive specifics while preserving essential performance records] ...
† Indicates a driver who did not finish but was classified as having completed more than 90% of the race distance. External links |
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- 1990 births
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