He was the first Mexican driver to compete at this level of motorsport since Giovanni Aloi took part in International Formula 3000 in 1990. [30] He suffered a sprained thigh and concussion, and did not take part in the race the following day, on medical grounds. He also collided with Sergey Sirotkin, an action that resulted in a drive-through penalty. He also became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy scheme in October 2010.[26]. TODAY: What Happened To Sergio Perez, Why Sergio Perez Mendoza, also known as Checo Perez, has been a firm fixture on the Formula 1 grid since 2011. He lost a position at the start to Lewis Hamilton because of getting boxed in and got the position back on lap 10. Prez was unable to overtake Russell so he let Verstappen through, who too was unable to overtake Russell due to an issue with his DRS. The Secret Life Sergio After a red flag, Prez restarted the race on medium tyres. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname Checo. His best race of the season was in Russia, where he scored his first podium of 2015 and Force India's third-ever. Verstappen didn't let Prez back past, which left Prez disappointed. being short for Joseph. [62] On 12 December 2013 (exactly a month after it was announced he would leave McLaren), Force India confirmed that Prez would join Nico Hlkenberg in their driver line-up for 2014 in a 15 million Euro deal. I really think I drive fairly. Now, Perez is vying for the second spot in the standings with only four races remaining, and the former is just a point above the Monegasque. Sergio Michel Checo Prez Mendoza (Spanish born 26 January 1990), is a Mexican racing driver who races in Formula One for Red Bull Racing, previously known as Sauber, McLaren, Force India. The penalty also meant his teammate Max Verstappen won the championship. Checo [12] Prez then won the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix with the team and secured the second Formula 1 Grand Prix win of his career. According to him, as quoted by the Sun, Its not really that complicated or interesting. Sergio Perez revealed in 2013 the reason behind his nickname. Leclercs emotional phone call to Perez after Mexican GP. He also participated in several races in Shifter 125cc and competed in Master Kadets, where he finished on the podium. Why is Sergio Perez nicknamed Checo? Sergio Perez revealed in 2013 the reason behind his nickname. 3. On Lap 31, after not being allowed to switch with Verstappen by the team, Prez overtook Russell on the medium tyres when his teammate pitted and took the lead of the race, Charles Leclerc having retired earlier. at Delhi University, he had been a geek for fiction and a nerd for sports. Nevertheless, a week later in the Bahrain Grand Prix, he was able to score Force India's first podium since 2009,[63] holding off Ricciardo's Red Bull for a third-place finish. [128], During the next round in So Paulo, Prez qualified ninth under tricky circumstances, elevating himself to fifth place during the Sprint race. Prez inherited the lead after Stroll made a pitstop, and on lap 37 he got overtaken by Lewis Hamilton for the lead. Its not really that complicated or interesting. However, in the 4th season of the Netflix series Drive to Survive, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner funnily revealed a different meaning of Checo to Yuki Tsunoda, Max Verstappen, and Pierre Gasly. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname Checo. The following year, he returned to compete in the junior category; he achieved eight wins and became the youngest driver to become champion of the category. Sergio was actually let go by Mclaren for refusing to stop selling his cds in the pitlane to starstruck fans. Horner said, Hiring Checo is a bit of a risk. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname Checo. Red Bull Boss Shopping List Revealed for the Hot Seat Besides Sorry, there's no story behind it! said Perez, according to the Sun. Manan Goel is a Formula 1 author at EssentiallySports. Why is Sergio Perez nicknamed Checo? He himself believes that he deserves more credit for his attack, as he said in an interview quoted by the Sports Rush, , I prefer to be the minister of attack. Sergio Prez a great admirer of Club Amrica. know about Sergio 'Checo' Perez and He managed to reset his RB16B before having to start the race from the pitlane.[99]. The first app Checo looks at in the morning is the CNBC app to check on his investments in the stock market. I've had some tough fights in F1 but not quite as dirty as that. Why Bad as in awesome. [23] He won five races, and finished second in the standings behind Pastor Maldonado. [33] On 13 September, Prez tested for Ferrari as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy in a Ferrari F60, Ferrari's car from the 2009 season. The race hit the three-hour limit, and Prez held on to win the third race of his Formula One career, from Sainz and his teammate Verstappen. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname Checo. said Perez. Perez made his Formula One debut in 2011 with Sauber and has since driven for teams like McLaren, Force India, and Racing Point. Not bad as in terrible. With the race boiling down to a final lap title shootout, Red Bull did not want to risk Perez stopping out on track. And all of that revived his nickname, making him popular amongst Red Bull and Max Verstappens fans as Checo.. Also involved in the accident were, the championship leader Fernando Alonso and Prez's teammate Kamui Kobayashi. Prez got the sixteenth podium of his career and his sixth with Red Bull Racing. Includes points scored by other drivers. For other people with the same name, see, record for the number of starts before a race win, British Formula 3 International Series - National, "Perez signs two-year extension to Red Bull F1 contract", "ESPN/How Sergio Perez rode his lifelong sponsorship to Formula One success", "McLaren Racing - Heritage - Sergio Prez", "Sakhir GP Facts & Stats: Sergio Perez breaks record for longest wait for first F1 win", "Motorsports Monday: Hamilton On Top In Hungary, Spa 24, NASCAR At Indy", "McLaren confirm Magnussen and Button for 2014", "Perez joins Hulkenberg at Force India for 2014 F1 season", "Sergio Perez replaces Albon at Red Bull for 2021 season", "As es el estilo de vida de Carola Martnez, esposa de Checo Prez", "Social stint: Perez father of baby son Emilio". He outscored teammate Hlkenberg by 20 points. On the way to the grid at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, Prez crashed, having skidded into the barriers at Les Combes. Prez conducted the test with fellow academy member Jules Bianchi. He finished fourth overall which was his best ever championship result, which he equalled in 2021. Prez relocated his residence to Oxford. He added a second win at Losail, during the sprint race of the night meeting in Qatar. And the majority of F1 fans like to call him by his nickname Checo in admiration. In 2003, he was leading both championships in the 125cc category but withdrew from the last seven races, which proved to be a disappointment in his title aspirations. was operated for. He failed to start the Malaysian Grand Prix, after his car encountered gearbox issues before the start of the race. The reason given by the Red Bull superstar is not as interesting as it was thought. by honestmaxverstappenfan November 29, 2021. It was the first time in his career that he scored podiums on consecutive weekends.[104]. Prix, and he has been a fan of the sport and Red Bull ever since. Its not really that complicated or interesting. By Mauricio Saenz According to him, as quoted by the Sun, Its not really that complicated or interesting. Out-qualifying his teammate for a second time, Prez started in the tenth position for the Monaco Grand Prix however a first-lap collision with Jenson Button meant an early retirement for the first time in the season. And while Checo is one of his most commonly used nicknames by his fans, there was another name that emerged after Max Verstappen won the championship in 2021. The first app Checo looks at in the morning is the CNBC app to check on his investments in the stock market. The Mexican racer has an elder sister Paola and his elder brother Antonio, who is a retired stock car racing driver. Why Is Sergio Perez Called Checo? [28] He failed to repeat the result in Malaysia where body parts flew off Sbastien Buemi's Toro Rosso car and into the electrical system of Prez's Sauber, forcing his retirement. Sergio Perez revealed in 2013 the reason behind his nickname. Know About Checo [85] After testing negative for COVID-19 after the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, Prez returned to race at the Spanish Grand Prix, he qualified fourth and finished the race in fifth position. In 2020, Perez signed with Racing Point, which was later renamed Aston Martin. Its not really that complicated or interesting. [69] He finished the 2015 championship in ninth, his highest championship position to date, with 78 points. The nickname is a shortened version of Prezs last name, a trend common to many drivers across the world. [19], In November 2012, Prez unveiled the Checo Prez Foundation to support orphans and children with cancer. He followed that up with fourteenth in Turkey, before a ninth-place finish in Spain ahead of teammate Kamui Kobayashi in tenth to take his first Formula One points. The Mexican had struggled for nearly a decade, jumping multiple ships on the grid, until he found his golden season at Racing Point in 2020 and subsequent relatively successful seasons at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen. However, he finished in third place in Telmex Challenge, in addition to being Cup runner-up in Mexico. The nickname is a shortened version of Prezs last name, a trend common to many drivers across the world. Its the Mexican Minister of defense, given to him by none other than Verstappen himself. Due to a turn four crash he was forced to pit for a new front wing which dropped him down to 17th. "[116], At the Monaco Grand Prix, Prez qualified third, crashing at the Portier corner on his final attempt. Sergio Perez Mendoza, also known as Checo Perez, has been a firm fixture on the Formula 1 grid since 2011. Red Bull Boss Shopping List Revealed for the Hot Seat Besides The podium was Hamilton, Prez and Sebastian Vettel. The first one is when, in 2013, Perez himself shed light on why he is called Checo. Why [41] He finished outside the points in the next three races despite recording the fastest lap in Monaco,[42] before Prez achieved his second career podium at the Canadian Grand Prix, finishing the race in third place, having started fifteenth. was operated for. The Mexican race driver signed a contract extension with Red Bull before the Monaco Grand Prix and would be bagging $12 million a year salary. Prez competed in the US-based Skip Barber National Championship in 2004. The reason given by the Red Bull superstar is not as interesting as it was thought. [109] Verstappen praised Perez after the race stating Its very rare to have a team mate like that he was a real team player and I really hope we can continue this for a long time.[110]. Prez finished seventh in his first race, the Australian Grand Prix, impressing observers by stopping to change tyres only once, becoming the only driver in the field to make fewer than two stops. This performance also earned him a seat at Red Bull in late 2021, putting a lot of pressure on him. Checo is the nickname given to all people called Sergio in Mexico, according to the man himself. Sergio Perez Age, Height, Wife, Children, Family Not bad as in terrible. And its been the same for him at Red Bull, but thanks to his heroics and teamwork, hes as much of a fan favorite as Max Verstappen. Interestingly, the name Pepe is also given to Mexican people called Jose Luis, with Jose, in some cases. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are Its not actually that complicated or exciting, he said. [65] At the Austrian Grand Prix, Prez set his third fastest lap of his career whilst also giving Force India their third fastest lap in their history. TODAY: What Happened To Sergio Perez, Why ", "McLaren learning from Melbourne Perez", "Vettel beats Webber in Malaysia amid team controversy", "2013 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX Race Results", "Monaco GP: Sergio Perez should be punched, says Kimi Raikkonen", "India selected team and driver quotes", "Sergio Perez confirms McLaren departure", "Sergio Perez and Force India revel in podium", "Perez podium 'special' after tough 2013", "Prez, Chilton penalised for Montreal collisions", "Sergio Perez: Force India driver to stay with Formula 1 team in 2015", "Sergio Perez: Force India driver signs up for 2016 season", "Podium for Checo in Russia, fifth in his F1 history", "Sergio Prez walks away unscathed after high-speed F1 crash at Hungarian GP", "Sergio Perez delighted to show his talent with P3 at Monaco GP", "Sergio Perez picked a second podium finish of the season at Baku", "Perez hails "incredible" year after second podium", "Sergio Perez commits to Force India for 2017 F1 season", "Perez targets Red Bull after taking fourth in Barcelona", "Perez explains Force India's financial position", "Sergio Perez admits penalty for Sergey Sirotkin clash was 'fair', "Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2019: Double points cap off 'fantastic day' for Racing Point in Baku", "German GP: Verstappen wins crazy race, disaster for Mercedes", "Racing Point's Singapore retirement call saved Perez's F1 engine", "2019 Belgian Grand Prix race report: Leclerc makes it look easy on tragic weekend", "Hamilton crowned F1 world champion for sixth time as Bottas wins in Austin", "Sergio Perez to start US Grand Prix from the pit lane", "Perez signs three-year contract extension with Racing Point", "70th Anniversary Grand Prix: Nico Hulkenberg to stand in for Sergio Perez again", "Sergio Perez: Racing Point driver to return at Spanish Grand Prix after negative Covid-19 test", "Perez/Kvyat Spanish GP penalties first in FIA crackdown on F1 blue flags", "Sergio Perez reveals he is leaving Racing Point at the end of 2020 in shock announcement", "Aston Martin deal gives Vettel last laugh over Ferrari", "Perez leaving F1 at his peak would be a huge injustice", "Martin Brundle: A treacherous Turkish GP leads to a crowning drive for Lewis Hamilton", "Sergio Perez takes sensational maiden win in Sakhir GP as tyre mix-up ruins Russell's charge", "Former Red Bull F1 Driver Alex Albon Gets a New Ride for 2021", "Perez to partner Verstappen at Red Bull in 2021, as Albon becomes reserve driver", "What the teams said Qualifying in Bahrain", "What the teams said - Qualifying in Emilia Romagna", "2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix race report and highlights: Perez beats Vettel to Baku victory after Verstappen crashes out from lead late on", "Paul Ricard weekend 'wasn't as good as I hoped' says Perez, despite second straight Red Bull podium", "Sergio Perez crashes out before Belgian Grand Prix", "Perez happy after "intense race" in Turkey", "WATCH: Hamilton and Perez dice in epic mid-race duel in 2021 Turkish GP", "How crucial was 'legend' Perez to Verstappen's F1 title? In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname Checo. Interestingly, the name Pepe is also given to Mexican people called Jose Luis, with Jose, in some cases. WebSergio Michel "Checo" Prez Mendoza (Spanish: [sexjo pees] (); born 26 January 1990), is a Mexican racing driver who races in Formula One for Red Bull Racing, having previously driven for Sauber, McLaren, Force India, and Racing Point.He won his first Formula One Grand Prix at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, breaking the record for the number of starts before a race win at 190. In 1997, he participated in the karting Youth Class, where he was the youngest driver in the category and earned a win and five podium finishes and finished fourth in the championship. ago by honestmaxverstappenfan November 29, 2021. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books. By Mauricio Saenz I really think I drive fairly. The reason for shortening Sergio to Checo is because sometimes little kids (younger brothers/cousins) have trouble pronouncing names correctly and in spanish Ser-gio could be heard as Che-co by a kid.. same as how Ig-na-cio can be heard as Na-cho.. etc 14 zushimikudyo Valtteri Bottas 8 mo. Its going to be good,, However, this iconic defense by Checo cant take credit away from his attacking skills! Sergio Perez Why Prez later added: "Just look at the last races. Get the Checo Perez mug. The reasoning behind Perezs nickname is, in fact, a simple one. claims Sebastian Vettel was his first love after seeing him at the Indian Grand [11] In September 2020, Racing Point announced that Prez would be leaving the team at the end of the season as Sebastian Vettel, a four-time F1 world champion, had been signed to replace him. After the Hungarian Grand Prix, Force India was put into administration. and Racing Point. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname Checo. Is Sergio Perez [126], At the Japanese Grand Prix, Prez qualified fourth. Prez again let Verstappen through on lap 49, the team citing Verstappen being on the three stop compared to Prez's two. Responding to the question, Perez said, "In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname 'Checo'. All Sergios is immediately given the moniker Checo in Mexico, where I grew up. Sergio Perez, otherwise known as Checo, is a Formula One driver from Mexico. Another points finish came with 9th place in Spain. Checo is the nickname given to all people called Sergio in Mexico, according to the man himself. [citation needed] This drive won him plaudits and fuelled speculation of a move to Ferrari in the near future. In the finale at Abu Dhabi, when Max Verstappen was trailing over 8 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton in a do-or-die race for the championship, it was Sergio Perez who defended against all odds, bringing the gap down to almost a second, which later helped Max clinch the drivers championship. The Red Bull superstar Sergio Perez is one of the best drivers on the grid right now. Its not really that complicated or interesting. He was temporarily replaced by Nico Hlkenberg. Sorry, theres no story behind it! The reason is pretty straightforward in Mexico, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname Checo. Conclusion Perez has built a reputation in F1 as a combat driver who loves to fight his way through the pack. The race was shortened to 59 laps because of the 3 hour time limit due to safety cars and an hour-long delay. In the next round, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Prez qualified 7th as he was unable set a representative time in Q3 due to red flags. Leclercs emotional phone call to Perez after Mexican GP. Whats the name were talking about? In the race, he conserved his tyres up to lap 24. Sergio Perez playing F1 on his home gaming setup Prez passed Fernando Alonso and George Russell. [98] During the formation lap for the race, his car switched off due to an electrical failure. [76] Shortly before the Belgian Grand Prix, Force India's assets were purchased by a consortium of investors led by Lawrence Stroll, father of Williams driver Lance Stroll. He passed then-championship leader Sebastian Vettel for 3rd place with a few laps to go, making him the first driver to finish on the podium twice at the Baku City Circuit (in 2016 and 2018). He said: "Its not really that complicated or interesting. According to him, as quoted by the Sun, Its not really that complicated or interesting. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Prez was unable to keep up with Verstappen, attributing it to tyre degradation. [100] It was his first time starting on the front row in his career. The Mexican race driver back in 2013 explained why his famous name called him. Flag. [18] In an interview in 2012 for the official Formula One website, Prez revealed that if he had not been a driver he would have liked to be a lawyer. Many observers praised his performance despite his late-race error,[36][37][38] taking Sauber's best result as an independent team. checo The deal was officially confirmed at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Prez signing a new two-year contract, until the end of the 2016 season.[67]. Why Is Sergio Perez Called Checo Prez drove for the Campos Grand Prix team in the 200809 GP2 Asia Series, partnering Russian driver Vitaly Petrov. Prez was subsequently given a five-place grid penalty for the next race, as the stewards decided he changed his racing line, causing Massa to crash into him. With Pastor they're not doing anything that will teach him a lesson. He took his first Formula One podium at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix with Sauber. At the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix, Prez qualified in 5th place, starting in 4th behind McLaren's Lando Norris after a penalty for Valtteri Bottas. Prez scored his maiden Formula One pole position at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with his third career win coming at the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix. [60] Prez recorded a season-best fifth-place finish in India, finishing four seconds shy of the podium, a result that left him "extremely satisfied".[61]. [129], At the final round in Abu Dhabi, Prez and Leclerc were tied on 280 points for second place. [34], Prez started the season with eighth place at the Australian Grand Prix, losing several places on the final lap due to excessively-worn tyres. But the thing that happened most notably at Red Bull was the recognition of his talents and skills, which came into the spotlight. That's something you do in karting and normally you grow out of it but that's obviously not the case with Checo [Prez]. Eventually Prez finished 1.4 seconds behind Leclerc in third place which meant he ended up third in the 2022 Drivers Standings.[130]. Sergio Perez, otherwise known as Checo, is a Formula One driver from Mexico. [86][87] In September 2020, Prez announced that he would be leaving Racing Point at the end of the 2020 season. reasons why Sergio "Checo" Perez In the race, Carlos Sainz Jr. retired after a crash, meaning Prez ran third for most of the race.