SergioPérez

Early Career and Ascent to Formula 1

Sergio Michel Pérez Mendoza, born in Guadalajara, Mexico, on January 26, 1990, began his competitive karting career at the age of six in 1996. Demonstrating early promise, he secured a national championship in the 2007 British Formula 3 International Series. His progression continued into the GP2 Series, where he finished as runner-up in 2010 with Addax. During this period, Pérez also became a member of the prestigious Ferrari Driver Academy, a testament to his burgeoning talent and potential.

Formula 1 Debut and Formative Years with Sauber

Pérez made his Formula 1 debut with Sauber in 2011, partnering Kamui Kobayashi. His inaugural race at the Australian Grand Prix saw both cars disqualified for technical infringements, but not before Pérez impressed with a unique one-stop strategy. He secured his first Formula 1 points at the Spanish Grand Prix. The season was marked by a significant incident at Monaco, where a heavy crash during qualifying led to a sprained thigh and concussion, forcing him to miss two races. The 2012 season proved to be a breakthrough for Pérez. He achieved his maiden Formula 1 podium finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix, battling Fernando Alonso for the win and finishing a strong second. This performance, coupled with his exceptional tyre management, earned him widespread praise and fueled speculation about a future move to Ferrari. He followed this with further podiums in Canada and Italy, the latter showcasing his strategic prowess by climbing from twelfth on the grid to second through effective tyre conservation. His performances led to him being dubbed "The Mexican Wunderkind," and he concluded the season tenth in the Drivers' Championship.

McLaren Stint and Force India Tenure

For the 2013 season, Pérez moved to McLaren, replacing Lewis Hamilton and partnering Jenson Button. Despite a fastest lap at the Malaysian Grand Prix and a strong sixth-place finish in Bahrain, where he engaged in a fierce on-track duel with Button, the season proved podium-less for McLaren. Button publicly criticized Pérez's aggressive driving style following their Bahrain encounter. Pérez departed McLaren at the end of the year, securing a move to Force India for 2014. His time with Force India, and later Racing Point, marked a period of consistent performance and several notable achievements. In 2014, he secured Force India's first podium since 2009 at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2015 season saw him achieve his highest championship position to date, ninth, aided by a podium finish in Russia. He continued this form into 2016, securing two more podiums in Monaco and Baku, demonstrating strong tyre management and race craft, particularly in changing conditions. The 2018 season was significant, with Pérez achieving a third-place finish in Azerbaijan, becoming the first driver to secure multiple podiums at the Baku City Circuit. Later that year, he played a crucial role in the team's survival, initiating legal action that led to Force India entering administration, ultimately saving the team and its employees from collapse before its re-branding to Racing Point. The 2019 season was transitional, but Pérez consistently scored points in the latter half, often from low grid positions.

Maiden Victory and Red Bull Era

The 2020 season culminated in a career-defining moment. Despite missing two races due to COVID-19 and facing an uncertain future after being replaced by Sebastian Vettel at the re-branded Aston Martin, Pérez delivered a stellar performance. He secured his ninth podium at the Turkish Grand Prix and, most significantly, claimed his maiden Formula 1 victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix. Starting from last place after a first-lap collision, he mounted a remarkable comeback to win, ending a 50-year drought for Mexican drivers in Formula 1. He finished fourth overall in the championship, his best result at that point. Pérez joined Red Bull Racing in 2021, partnering Max Verstappen. He secured his first win for the team at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, capitalizing on a tyre failure for Verstappen and a lock-up from Lewis Hamilton. His defensive driving against Hamilton in the Abu Dhabi season finale was instrumental in Verstappen securing his first World Drivers' Championship. He finished fourth in the standings, equaling his 2020 best. The 2022 season saw Pérez achieve his maiden pole position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, setting a record for the most starts before a first pole (219 races). He secured victories in Monaco and Singapore, showcasing strong race management. Despite team orders controversies in Spain, Azerbaijan, and Brazil, he finished third in the Drivers' Championship, marking his best season to date with two wins, one pole, and eleven podiums.

Championship Runner-Up and Red Bull Departure

The 2023 season represented Pérez's strongest championship challenge. He secured two pole positions and two victories early in the season, winning in Saudi Arabia and becoming the first driver to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix multiple times (sprint and main race). He also took pole in Miami. Despite a mid-season dip in form, he recovered to secure multiple podiums, including in Austria, Hungary, Belgium, and Italy. He ultimately finished as runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship, securing Red Bull Racing's first-ever 1-2 finish in the championship standings. The 2024 season, however, proved challenging. After a promising start with four podiums in the first five races, his performance declined. A multi-car collision in Monaco and a self-inflicted retirement in Canada marked a difficult period. Despite out-qualifying Verstappen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a late-race collision ended his race. Consistently outperformed by his teammate and struggling with the RB20's evolving form, his contract with Red Bull was mutually terminated at the end of the season. He finished eighth in the standings.

Post-Formula 1 and Future Endeavors

Following his departure from Red Bull, Pérez took a sabbatical year, which he described as a period to "fall back in love with F1." In August 2025, it was announced that Pérez would join Cadillac for their debut 2026 campaign. He views this role as his "final big project" in the sport, aiming to shape Cadillac into "the team of the Americas" and expressing confidence in their ability to "surprise a lot of people." Beyond Formula 1, Pérez is also the owner of the Sergio Pérez E1 Team, competing in powerboat racing, and established the Checo Pérez Foundation in 2012 to support children.

Key Statistics

Throughout his Formula 1 career, Sergio Pérez has achieved six race wins, three pole positions, 12 fastest laps, and 39 podium finishes. He holds the Formula 1 records for the most starts before a race win (190) and the most races before a pole position (219). His career-best championship finish is runner-up in 2023.