Sergio Pérez

Sergio Pérez Sergio Pérez is Mexico’s most successful Formula 1 driver, a seasoned racer known for shrewd tyre use and opportunistic racecraft. In 2026 he drives for the Cadillac F1 Team and, while yet to score this season, remains a six‑time grand prix winner.

Early career

Born in Guadalajara in 1990 and universally known as “Checo”, Pérez reached Formula 1 off the back of a strong single‑seater apprenticeship that included runner‑up in the 2010 GP2 Series. Telmex backing helped propel his rise, and he made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2011, finishing his rookie season 16th in the standings with 14 points. A year later he announced himself with eye‑catching podiums for the Swiss team and ended 2012 10th on 66 points, earning a move up the grid.

Sauber, McLaren and the midfield years

McLaren signed Pérez for 2013, a difficult season in an under‑performing car that nonetheless saw him bank 49 points and 11th in the table. From 2014 he became a mainstay of the Force India set‑up as the team evolved into Racing Point, stringing together consistent campaigns that underscored his value on Sundays. The numbers show the pattern: 10th in 2014 with 59 points, 9th in 2015 with 78, then back‑to‑back 7th‑place championship finishes in 2016 (101 points) and 2017 (100). He remained a reliable scorer through 2018 (8th, 62 points) and 2019 (10th, 52), often maximising results with long stints and precise tyre management on days when faster cars faltered.

Pérez’s influence at Force India went beyond the cockpit. In 2018 he initiated legal action that placed the team into administration, a step that enabled its rescue and continuation under new ownership as Racing Point later that year. On track his reputation was built on patience and opportunism: multiple podiums came from reading races astutely, eking out tyre life and executing clean overtakes when strategies converged.

First win and Red Bull

The breakthrough victory arrived in 2020. In Sakhir, after early misfortune dropped him to the back, Pérez recovered superbly to take his first grand prix win and end Mexico’s wait for a Formula 1 winner dating back to Pedro Rodríguez. The broader season was his strongest yet in the midfield on raw points, finishing 4th in the championship on 125 with that single win on the board. That form opened the door to a front‑running seat for 2021.

At Red Bull in 2021, Pérez’s role combined individual targets with the demands of a title‑chasing operation. He won in Azerbaijan and finished 4th in the standings on 190 points, contributing crucially on race days. In 2022 he stepped up further: 3rd in the championship with 305 points and two victories, including Monaco and Singapore, hallmarks of a driver who thrives on tight street circuits and complex strategy calls. He also achieved a landmark at home in Mexico City in 2021 by becoming the first Mexican to stand on the Mexican Grand Prix podium.

Runner-up and the seasons that followed

Pérez’s peak season to date came in 2023. He finished runner‑up in the drivers’ championship on 285 points with two more wins, and though the internal benchmark at Red Bull remained formidable, he underlined his capacity to deliver under pressure. The totality of 2020–2023 stands out in his record: four consecutive top‑four finishes in the standings and six wins across that period.

The momentum dipped in 2024. He ended the year 8th with 152 points and no wins.

Cadillac 2026

For 2026 Pérez is with the Cadillac F1 Team. The season is still in progress and has yet to yield a point for him; he sits 23rd in the standings with 0 points and 0 wins. At 36, he brings more than a decade’s worth of development insight from Sauber, McLaren, Force India/Racing Point and a successful stint at Red Bull, together with the race‑day craft that has long been his calling card.

Sergio Pérez is 36 years old, was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and first entered Formula 1 in 2011. The Mexican driver races for Cadillac F1 Team under number 11.