Sergio Pérez

Sergio "Checo" Pérez is the most successful Mexican driver in history and the main force behind Formula 1's huge revival in his country. The Guadalajara native built a reputation as a shrewd racer, brutally gentle on his tyres, at modest teams like Sauber and Force India, where he scored memorable podiums that seemed impossible with that machinery.

His big break came in 2020, when he won emotionally in Sakhir after spinning on the opening lap, a feat that opened Red Bull's doors. Alongside Verstappen he was a key part of the team's constructors' titles, with notable wins like Baku 2021, Monaco and Singapore 2022, and a unique ability to defend positions and protect his team-mate.

His final seasons at Red Bull, however, were marked by the enormous difficulty of matching Verstappen's pace, and at the end of 2024 he lost the seat. After a year away he returned in 2026 with Cadillac, the newest team on the grid, which wanted exactly that: a race specialist with fourteen seasons behind him. And he is still the driver who filled Mexican grandstands once again.