Sergio Pérez is a Mexican Formula 1 driver that has recently seen a revival of his career. He is one of the more experienced drivers on the grid, and he has taken several years to fight his way into a top team that allows him to fight for podiums, wins, and championships. Below are some important facts about Sergio Pérez.
1. When Was Sergio Pérez Born?
Sergio Pérez was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in Mexico. Sergio was born on the 26th of January 1990 and is the youngest of 3 children. He has one sister, Paola, and a brother named Antonio, who is a retired stock car racer that raced in the NASCAR Mexico series.
2. Where Did Sergio Pérez Go To School?
It’s unclear where Sergio Pérez went to school, but it was likely in Guadalajara in Mexico. Sergio started racing at a very young age, and he was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy until 2012.
NOTE: Some other sources suggest that Checo has multiple degrees from American universities, which would be impressive for an F1 driver! However, these sources have picked this information up about someone else named Sergio Pérez.3. What Is Sergio Pérez’s Racing Number?
Sergio Pérez races with the number 11 in Formula 1. He chose 11 because he is an avid football fan and supports Club America, specifically a former player called Ivan Zamorano. He always used the number 11, and Sergio is such a big fan that he uses the number in everything, even his email address!
4. Sergio Pérez Height & Weight
Sergio Pérez is 1.73 meters (5 feet 8 inches) tall and weighs 63 kilograms (139 lbs). This is the ideal height and weight for a Formula 1 driver because they need to comfortably fit inside the cockpit, and they need to weigh as little as possible to squeeze extra performance out of the car.
5. Is Sergio Pérez Left Handed?
Sergio Pérez is not left handed. When he signs autographs he uses his right hand. He has also been photographed writing with his right hand.
6. How Many Languages Does Sergio Pérez Speak?
Sergio Pérez speaks 2 languages fluently, English and Spanish. Since he grew up in Mexico, and his family is Mexican, Sergio’s first language is Spanish. He can also speak a little bit of German since he lived in Bavaria.
7. When Did Sergio Pérez Start Karting?
Sergio Pérez started his karting career at the young age of 6 years old. In 1996, he started karting in Mexico and delivered some impressive results, including 4 victories and the runner up spot in the championship. He continued racing in karts until 2003.
8. Why Is Sergio Pérez Called Checo?
There is no interesting backstory behind the nickname Checo. Sergio Pérez said that in Mexico, everyone who is named Sergio is automatically given the nickname Checo, and this is the nickname many in the F1 paddock know him by, and many fans too.
9. Did Sergio Pérez Race In F3?
Sergio Pérez raced in the British Formula 3 Championship in 2007, which is not the same as modern F3. Sergio had to move to Oxford in the UK to participate in the series and he won the championship with T-Sport. In 2008 he moved up to the international F3 class and finished in 4th place.
10. Did Sergio Pérez Race In F2?
Sergio Pérez raced in the GP2 series (currently known as Formula 2) between 2008 and 2010. Sergio took part in both the GP2 Asia and the normal GP2 series, which meant that he managed to race four seasons in two years. His best result was second in the 2010 GP2 season.
11. When Did Sergio Pérez Start F1?
Sergio Pérez started racing in Formula 1 in 2011 when he signed for the Sauber F1 Team. The Mexican driver performed reasonably well in the midfield team and scored 14 points throughout the season. His strong performance in his first season set him up for an even better second season with Sauber.
12. When Was Sergio Pérez First Podium?
Sergio Pérez scored his first podium finish at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix with the Sauber F1 Team. He went on to finish the season with three podiums in total, one fastest lap, and 66 points, giving him 10th place in the final standings.
13. Why Did Sergio Pérez Leave McLaren?
Sergio Pérez was set to stay with the McLaren team for the 2014 season, but he was unexpectedly dropped at the end of the season, which even came as a shock to him. It’s rumored that he was dropped to make way for Kevin Magnussen as McLaren could not find another suitable seat for him on the grid.
14. Who Was Sergio Pérez’s Teammate At McLaren?
Jenson Button was Sergio Pérez’s teammate at McLaren. Lining up alongside a World Champion meant that Sergio was under a lot of pressure, and despite having some good results, his performance was ultimately overshadowed by the Brit throughout the season.
15. Who Has Sergio Pérez Raced For?
Sergio Pérez has raced for 4 different F1 teams: Sauber, McLaren, Force India (later rebranded as Racing Point), and Red Bull. Sergio has spent most of his career at the Silverstone-based team that was previously known as Force India and Racing Point (currently racing as Aston Martin).
16. Did Sergio Pérez & Esteban Ocon Get Along?
Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon only raced in the same team for 2 years. The pair were put together at Racing Point for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, but Ocon is quoted as saying that he would never want to do that again. There was a lot of animosity and frustration between the two teammates.
17. When Was Sergio Pérez’s First Win?
Sergio Pérez took his first Formula 1 victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain with Racing Point. The race was chaotic, and the Mexican was involved in an incident that put him right at the back of the pack early on in the Grand Prix. However, he fought his way back to the front and managed to take the win.
18. How Did Sergio Pérez End Up At Red Bull?
Sergio Pérez announced his move to Red Bull towards the end of the 2020 season. After Alex Albon lost his Red Bull seat after the 2020 season, the team looked for an experienced driver that could be a solid second driver next to Max Verstappen, and Sergio was the best option on the grid.
19. Will Sergio Pérez Stay With Red Bull?
Sergio Pérez signed a new two-year contract with Red Bull after the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, which seals his place in the team until at least the end of 2024.
20. Who Will Replace Sergio Pérez At Red Bull?
It’s currently unclear who would replace Sergio Pérez at Red Bull, as he has a contract until the end of 2024. Red Bull usually promotes drivers from AlphaTauri, their junior team. Sergio’s replacement is likely to be an AlphaTauri driver, but there is a chance that they could hire someone else.
21. Why Is Max Verstappen Faster Than Sergio Pérez?
Over the years that they have been teammates, Max Verstappen has proven to be the faster driver over Sergio Pérez. Verstappen is incredibly fast, but there have been some scenarios where Sergio was the faster driver, and the driver who is better at managing tires over longer distances.
22. How Many Times Has Sergio Pérez Out Qualified Max Verstappen?
Sergio Pérez has out qualified Max Verstappen 6 times since they became teammates at Red Bull. Verstappen is an excellent qualifier, which makes it incredibly difficult for Sergio to beat him over one lap.
23. How Many Wins Has Sergio Pérez Had?
Sergio Pérez has had 4 wins throughout his entire Formula 1 career. His first career win came at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix with Racing Point. In 2021, he won one race at Baku with Red Bull, and in 2022 he managed to secure two victories, in Monaco and Singapore.
24. Where Has Sergio Pérez Won?
Sergio Pérez has won at the following tracks:
- Bahrain International Circuit (Bahrain)
- Baku City Circuit (Azerbaijan)
- Circuit de Monaco (Monaco)
- Marina Bay Street Circuit (Singapore)
25. Is Sergio Pérez A Good Driver?
Sergio Pérez is an excellent driver. He has been racing at the pinnacle of motorsport for more than 10 years, which shows that his driving skills and abilities are very highly rated. He has consistently impressed the Formula 1 community, especially in recent years with Red Bull.
26. How Much Is Sergio Pérez New Contract Worth?
Sergio Pérez earns around $10 million per year on his current contract that is in place until the end of 2024. This is the base salary and it excludes any performance-based bonuses such as points scored, victories, and pole positions.
27. What Does Sergio Pérez Get Paid Per Year?
Sergio Pérez signed a new contract in 2022 that gave him a salary increase to around $10 million per year, excluding any bonuses that he receives based on his performance. He will also earn more money from sponsorship deals and any other ventures.
28. What Is Sergio Pérez’s Net Worth?
Sergio Pérez has a net worth of around $30 million. This is an estimation, which could change in the future thanks to his lucrative contract, where he is set to earn $10 million per year with Red Bull.
29. Is Sergio Pérez A Pay Driver?
Sergio Pérez is not a pay driver, but he once was. When he first joined Formula 1 in 2011, the Mexican driver brought some big sponsors with him (including Telmex) to pay for his seat on the grid. However, he has since earned his place on the Formula 1 grid and is no longer a pay driver.
30. How Much Sponsorship Does Sergio Pérez Bring?
Sergio Pérez has a sponsor from Mexico that reportedly pays around $20 million to Red Bull. Sergio’s personal sponsors have always closely followed him throughout his career to different teams, and Red Bull will benefit from this income for as long as he races for the team.
31. Is Sergio Pérez A World Champion?
Sergio Pérez has not won the Formula 1 World Championship yet. The Mexican has fought in midfield for the majority of his career. In 2021 he was finally given a car that can fight for the title, but he has one of the toughest teammates on the grid in Max Verstappen, who has won 2 titles.
32. Can Sergio Pérez Beat Max Verstappen?
Max Verstappen is one of the best drivers on the grid and it will be incredibly difficult for Sergio Pérez to beat him. Sergio will need to work incredibly hard and find a way to beat Verstappen if he wants to win a World Championship.
33. Can Sergio Pérez Win A Championship?
Sergio Pérez is in the right team to win a World Championship, but he will need to compete with his teammate Max Verstappen if he wants to be crowned champion of the world. Verstappen is a tough opponent, and Sergio would need a perfect season to beat his teammate.
34. Will Red Bull Let Sergio Pérez Fight For The Championship?
Max Verstappen is the clear number one driver in the Red Bull team. Since Sergio Pérez joined the team in 2021 he has had to play a supporting role for Verstappen. If the two drivers are close on points in the standings, then Red Bull would let them fight each other for the title.
35. What Was Sergio Pérez’s Best Season?
2022 was the best season of Sergio Pérez’s career so far. He scored two victories, one pole position, three fastest laps, 11 podiums, and 305 points. This gave him third place in the championship, just three points shy of Charles Leclerc in second place.
Final Thoughts
Sergio “Checo” Pérez is one of the most well-liked drivers in the F1 paddock, and for good reason. His personality has gained him plenty of fans, but his speed on the track makes him a fierce competitor, and he has managed to take the fight to arguably F1’s toughest teammate, Max Verstappen, on multiple occasions.
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