Written by Ana
Published on 9 November 2021
(Sergio Perez celebrates his podium finish via Getty Images.)
The 2021 Mexican Grand Prix saw Sergio “Checo” Perez become the first ever Mexican driver to lead a lap and stand on the podium in a home race. This feat has not been accomplished by any of the six Mexican Formula One drivers that came before him, and the achievement has undoubtedly cemented his place as one of the most successful Mexican drivers of his time.
He captured the hearts of his home crowd with his drive, maintaining until position to the end of the race. Checo’s shine never wavered throughout the weekend, despite his teammate Max Verstappen winning the race, and rival Lewis Hamilton finishing in second place above him.
This year has quickly become a defining one for Checo’s career. After some uncertainty around this time last year about whether he still had a seat in Formula One, to being signed to the championship-contending Red Bull team, the Mexican driver’s career can only be on the rise from here on out.
The Mexican Wunderkind
Checo joined the Formula One grid in 2011 with Sauber. From the beginning, he showcased his pace and skill for maintaining his tyres, a trait that he is known for until now. Despite not achieving statistically outstanding results in the earlier stages of his career, he was able to clinch some points-scoring finishes and good qualifying results.
A notable moment from his first few years at Sauber was his 2012 Monza podium, where he charged from twelfth to third place—a performance largely attributed to a tyre strategy that differed from the rest of the grid.
Due to his thrilling performances and obvious skill, he was given the moniker, “The Mexican Wunderkid”, dubbing him as one of the young rising stars of his time.
From Bahrain to the Bull
Sergio Perez remained in the Force India team from 2014-2018, remaining with them through their rebranding to Racing Point through the middle of 2018 to the end of 2020. During this time, he attained six podiums for his team, and even clinched his first victory in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.
However, the win in Bahrain was bittersweet, as it had already been announced that Sebastian Vettel would be replacing him at Racing Point-turned-Aston Martin.
The Mexican driver’s skill would not remain unnoticed for long, as his performance in the 2020 season was his most outstanding one yet. It was later announced that year that Checo would partner Verstappen at Red Bull, giving him a chance to get his elbows out at a team that could challenge for the title.
Chasing Glory
As the 2021 season draws to a close, it can be said that Checo is ending on a high. After a multitude of good results, podiums, and a win in Baku, the result in Mexico was the cherry on top of what was already a year to celebrate.
With next year promising to be an exciting one due to the new regulations, it is unmistakable that the Mexican is only getting started.
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