Regardless of the Formula 1 circuit in which you compete, you will always see at least one Mexican flag in the stands. In Mexico, the audience has grown during each television broadcast of the championship. The main reason for the above is the brilliant performance that Sergio "Checo" Pérez has had in recent years, which has made him a true idol of Mexican sports.
With three victories, one pole position, 21 podiums and eight fastest laps in 11 full seasons in F1, Sergio Pérez is not only the only Mexican driver in the category, but also the only Latin American representative and the one in charge of detonating the passions among the followers of this continent every time he goes out on the track.
The pilot from Guadalajara not only shines on the track, but his friendliness transcends the sport and has become a social phenomenon by bringing together more than 150,000 people on the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City to be able to see, even if it was for a few seconds, his journey aboard one of the Red Bull cars, a team in which he has been running since 2021.
Caps, t-shirts with his image, life-size posters and even face masks, everything has the image of Pérez, who has unleashed the “Checomania”. These demonstrations of support have their epicenter at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where thousands of fans cheer him every time he appears during the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF MEXICO CITY Presented by Heineken, since 2015.
It is already a classic scene to see him go through the Foro Sol to receive the constant shout of “Checo, Checo, Checo”. Thousands of throats in unison showing their admiration for him before each start of the Mexico GP and throughout the race.
Checo's good pace has brought new fans to the sport. His results are closely followed both in the media and on social networks. During the days of the race, on the networks it is possible to find hundreds of publications that talk about the Mexican, groups where his performance is discussed and even memes referring to the Red Bull driver.
A successful career
Checo's career is built on perseverance and talent that led him to succeed from a very young age. At the age of 14, he participated in the Barber Dodge category in the United States and was the Rookie of the Year at the Midwestern Championship. Campaigns in German Formula BMW, A1GP and the British Formula 3 Class B Championship followed, where he was class champion with 14 wins and 14 pole positions, in 21 races.
He continued his path in Class A and traveled to Asia for the GP2 Series in 2009. He was runner-up in 2010, with five wins and one pole position, including a historic victory in Monaco. The growth of his followers skyrocketed in 2011 when he debuted at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix with the modest Sauber team (today Alfa Romeo), later entering the Ferrari Drivers' Academy.
Since then, Sergio Pérez has been on the rise, with a career that has taken him to teams such as McLaren, Force India and, from 2021, the mighty Red Bull.
With his new team, Checo claimed victory at the 2021 Azerbaijan GP and contributed a strong defense in Abu Dhabi for Max Verstappen's championship, bringing him thousands of fans by holding off seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. In addition, this year he had an excellent performance in the Monaco Grand Prix, winning first place, with which he became the Mexican with the most wins in Formula 1 (three in total).
The “Checomania” is stronger than ever and with Pérez in third place overall in the Drivers' Championship, thousands of fans around the world are waiting for his performances.
It is these same fans who await the arrival of the 2022 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF MEXICO CITY Presented by Heineken, which will take place from October 28 to 30, with the desire to see it again on the podium as it happened in 2021.
