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Sergio Perez is set to make his 300th Formula 1 race start at the upcoming Mexico City Grand Prix, surpassing Sebastian Vettel to claim seventh place on the sport’s all-time entry list. Ahead of this milestone home event, Perez spoke with Formula1.com to look back on his 15-year career across stints with Sauber, McLaren, Force India, Red Bull, and Cadillac.
Making an Impression with Sauber
Perez entered F1 in 2011 with Sauber following successful junior stints in British F3 and GP2. The 21-year-old made an immediate impact by finishing seventh on his debut in Australia, though he lost the result due to rear wing disqualifications for both Sauber cars. After bouncing back from a heavy crash in Monaco, Perez and the team took a step forward in 2012. At the second round in Malaysia, he challenged Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso for victory in mixed weather conditions before finishing second to claim a special podium for Sauber.
Reflecting on his early days while reviewing photographs provided by Formula1.com, Perez stated that he entered the sport with nothing and never imagined having such a successful career. He noted that his strong performances made him one of the most sought-after junior drivers by the end of 2012.
McLaren Struggles and Force India Lifeline
Following a demand for his services that included podium finishes in Canada and Italy, Perez joined McLaren for the 2013 season after Lewis Hamilton moved to Mercedes. However, the move proved difficult as McLaren produced an underperforming car that failed to score a single podium, pole position, or victory. Perez achieved a best finish of fifth, and McLaren decided not to renew his contract, leaving him without a seat for his third year in the sport.
Force India offered Perez a career lifeline for the 2014 season. In just his third race with the small team, he finished on the podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix behind Mercedes drivers Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Perez went on to score further podiums for the team in Russia, Monaco, and Azerbaijan, while also helping celebrate the return of the Mexican Grand Prix in 2015. However, his tenure ended amid financial trouble for Force India in 2018, during which Perez took legal action to protect roughly 400 jobs before the team was bought by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll.
First Victory and Red Bull Success
During a delayed 2020 season impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Perez recovered from missing two races due to the virus and secured a second-place finish in Turkey. Shortly after, at the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, Perez bounced back from a first-lap collision with Charles Leclerc to climb from the back of the field. Benefiting from a smart strategy and pit stop issues for Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and George Russell, Perez claimed his maiden F1 victory, becoming the first Mexican driver to win a race since Pedro Rodríguez in 1970. The win came shortly after he announced he would not represent Racing Point in 2021, paving the way for Sebastian Vettel to take his seat.
Perez then secured a move to Red Bull Racing for 2021, partnering Max Verstappen. While Verstappen fought for the world title, Perez contributed a victory in Azerbaijan and four podiums. At the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Perez defended aggressively against Lewis Hamilton to help Verstappen close the gap before a late Safety Car, assisting Verstappen in winning his first drivers’ championship. Verstappen acknowledged that he might not have won the title without Perez’s assistance.
Perez added three pole positions and four race wins through 2022 and 2023, finishing third and then second in the Drivers’ Championship while helping Red Bull secure consecutive team titles. However, following a contract extension, his form dipped significantly from the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix weekend due to car handling issues and corner-entry instability. Amid mounting pressure and negativity, Perez and Red Bull decided to split at the end of the year, leading to a year away from racing.
A New Chapter with Cadillac
After taking a break from the sport, Perez was approached by several teams and ultimately signed with 2026 newcomers Cadillac, backed by General Motors. Drawn to the project by team CEO Dan Towriss and General Motors, Perez decided the new American operation was the right place to finish his career and help push the team to the front of the grid.
As Cadillac works through teething issues in their debut season, Perez has raced near the midfield and came close to scoring the team’s first point in Monaco. Now, reaching his 300th Grand Prix start at his home race in Mexico City, Perez expressed deep gratitude for everyone who has supported him throughout his career, from team bosses and sponsors to his family and fans.
