Sergio Perez‘s time in Formula 1 might be coming to an end, but what a ride it’s been for the Mexican driver.
Let’s be real – his last season with Red Bull Racing wasn’t his best. But looking at the bigger picture? Checo Perez has had the kind of career most drivers can only dream about.
Six wins. Thirty-nine podium finishes. Three pole positions. And let’s not forget he finished second in the 2023 world championship.
That’s not too shabby for someone who’s spent 14 seasons at the top of motorsport.
Being Perez isn’t as easy as you might think. Sure, he’s got the big paycheck and an entire nation behind him. But that support comes with massive pressure – especially in Mexico, where fans don’t just hope for success, they expect championships.
His dad’s bold predictions haven’t helped either, often raising expectations to impossible levels.
"The easiest way would be just to give up, after the career I’ve had," Perez told reporters in Hungary last year. "But it’s not what I want to teach my kids, it’s not what I want to show, that sort of character."
Let’s be honest – he’s not in the same league as Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, or Charles Leclerc. He never claimed to be. What he is – or at least was – is an excellent second driver who could grab a win when the opportunity came.
At 34, he’s not the same driver he was five years ago. That’s just how sports work – just ask Fernando Alonso about getting older in F1.
The hardest part? Accepting when it’s time to move on. Perez has been fighting against that reality, pushing himself to prove he still belongs.
For his kids. For his fans. For himself.
Some might see his likely departure from Red Bull as a defeat. It’s not. Perez has had an amazing career that most drivers would kill for.
That’s what we should remember – not his challenging final season, but the journey of a driver who squeezed every drop of potential from his career in Formula 1.
