The 10 key moments that defined Sergio Perez's F1 career

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The 10 key moments that defined Sergio Perez's F1 career

Luis Ramírez

Thu, October 29, 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC ·

8 min read

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This weekend, Sergio Perez joins the exclusive club of drivers with at least 300 Formula 1 race starts, a milestone achieved by legends such as Michael Schumacher , Jenson Button , and Rubens Barrichello .

Throughout this journey, the Mexican driver has experienced several key moments that shaped his history in motorsport...

1. Perez's debut at Australia 2011: surprise and disqualification

Perez's arrival in Formula 1 carried a very special meaning, ending a 30-year absence of Mexican drivers in the top tier of motorsport. However, the path to his debut was far from smooth: early in 2010, his chances of securing a seat were slipping away following a difficult start in the GP2 Series.

Everything changed with his victory in the Monaco feature race, a win that opened the doors to Sauber under the recommendation of Maurizio Arrivabene. The executive, who was leading the Ferrari Driver Academy before becoming team principal at Maranello, signed him as one of the academy's first talents alongside Jules Bianchi .

His official debut came at the 2011 Australian Grand Prix with Sauber, then managed by Monisha Kaltenborn and Peter Sauber. The Mexican driver surprised everyone with his flawless tyre management, taking his car from 13th on the grid to 7th place to score his first points.

However, during post-race technical inspection, the stewards ruled that the rear wing on both Sauber cars breached technical regulations by exceeding a mounting limit by 2mm, resulting in the disqualification of both cars. As a result, the Mexican's first official points had to wait until the Spanish Grand Prix later that year.

2. First podium at Malaysia 2012: the epic battle against Fernando Alonso

Just one year after his debut, Perez shed one of the heaviest labels hanging over him: the "pay driver" tag. On 25 March 2012, he earned the absolute respect of his rivals by driving the Sauber C31 to lead several laps at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Sergio Perez, Sauber C31

Under extremely challenging track conditions, where heavy rain tested the grid's skills, the Mexican engaged in a relentless wheel-to-wheel chase with Fernando Alonso - then driving for Ferrari - in a direct battle for the win.

In the closing stages, Perez made a small mistake and ran slightly wide at the penultimate corner, losing ground to his rival. Despite this, his second-place finish marked Mexico's first F1 podium in 41 years.

3. Podium at Monza 2012: The day Lauda tipped his hat to Perez

Having a three-time world champion like Niki Lauda tip his hat in respect carries immense weight, and Perez was one of the few drivers who earned that honor from the Austrian legend.

On 9 September 2012, the Mexican secured his second career podium at the Italian Grand Prix, a circuit that had previously witnessed his impressive comebacks during his time in British Formula 3. In F1, he drove his Sauber-Ferrari from 12th on the grid to second place. Once again showing his trademark tyre preservation skills, he mounted a charge against Alonso, overtaking him with seven laps remaining.

The race winner was Lewis Hamilton , who was driving for McLaren at the time. On the podium, Lauda approached the young driver and told him: "I take my hat off to you, you did an incredible job, you even surprised Alonso".

4. Perez's stint at McLaren in 2013: a tough learning experience

His brilliant performance at Monza served as the final catalyst to secure a contract with McLaren. The iconic Woking-based team was undergoing a major restructuring following the departure of Lewis Hamilton to Mercedes . Although Perez had options to sign with Ferrari, that opportunity required waiting until 2014. Faced with a lack of clarity from Maranello, the Mexican chose to sign with the British squad.

However, the 2013 season did not deliver what either side expected. Technical disagreements and growing internal friction, combined with a car that failed to adapt to the new Pirelli tyres, worked against the Mexican, who was unable to replicate his Sauber form.

Sergio Perez, McLaren MP4-28

Perez finished 11th in the championship with 49 points, while his team-mate Button scored 73. For the first time in years, the Woking-based finished a season without a single podium.

"Unfortunately, for several reasons, the season didn't go as we hoped and we ended up without a podium," the Mexican reflected later on a chapter that many analysts prematurely deemed a wasted opportunity with a top team.

5. Resurgence at Force India and historic podiums

The announcement of his departure from McLaren came late in 2013, leaving him with very little room to secure a seat on the grid. Among his few options was Force India, a team that had finished sixth in the championship right behind McLaren and was known for its consistency.

The chemistry between the Mexican driver, team owner Vijay Mallya, and the entire squad was immediate. On 6 April 2014, in just his third race with the team, Perez delivered the team's first podium since 2009 by finishing third at the Bahrain Grand Prix, holding off late attacks from Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull.

The partnership yielded five podiums: Bahrain 2014, Russia 2015, Monaco 2016, Europe (Baku) 2016, and Azerbaijan 2018. Furthermore, they propelled the team to back-to-back historic fourth-place finishes in the constructors' championship in 2016 and 2017.

6. The legal battle at Force India that saved hundreds of jobs

Severe financial and legal troubles facing Mallya in India over bank loans heavily impacted Force India during the 2018 season. Amid the uncertainty, Perez initiated legal proceedings that placed the team into administration after the Hungarian Grand Prix.

This move facilitated the sale of the team to a consortium led by Canadian businessman Lawrence Stroll, who rebranded the outfit as Racing Point.

"I was asked to take that route to save 400 jobs at the factory. That was the big picture. It was a very difficult position to be in the middle of, unable to focus solely on driving," explained the driver regarding the action that ultimately saved the team from liquidation.

7. Victory at the 2020 Sakhir GP and the call from Red Bull

Sergio Perez, Racing Point, 1st position, contemplates on the podium

In Formula 1, nothing is guaranteed, and Perez proved that once again in 2020. A three-year contract signed with Lawrence Stroll to lead the transition into Aston Martin fell apart when four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel became available after leaving Ferrari. The Canadian businessman opted not to honour the agreement with the Mexican, leaving him without a drive for 2021.

Despite the setback, Perez was delivering the best season of his career. He was fighting inside the top five of the drivers' championship, taking advantage of a competitive car that was fighting for third in the constructors' standings. Yet, his future in F1 appeared to be over.

When options seemed exhausted, a masterclass performance at the Sakhir Grand Prix altered his destiny. Red Bull was evaluating Alex Albon's future, and that race provided clear answers. Dropping to last place following a first-lap incident with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen , Perez executed a heroic comeback.

Capitalising on Mercedes' pitstop errors and a late puncture for George Russell , he claimed his maiden F1 victory and the first win for Stroll's team. Seeing Perez overtake Albon on track, Christian Horner realised he had found the ideal candidate for Red Bull's second seat.

8. The 2021 Abu Dhabi GP: Crowned as the "Minister of Defence"

Joining Red Bull gave the team the ideal wingman they needed alongside Verstappen. The Mexican adapted quickly, winning in Azerbaijan and scoring consistent podiums in Turkey, the United States, and Mexico during the championship run-in.

His ultimate test came at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, where he once again demonstrated his tyre management skills.

Running on tyres that were 21 laps old, he was tasked with holding back Hamilton to allow Verstappen to close a nine-second gap. His stern and fair defense earned praise from the Dutchman, who famously declared over the team radio: "Checo is a legend".

9. The 2024 season: Internal crisis and Red Bull departure

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20

After claiming landmark victories such as the Monaco Grand Prix, the 2024 season started with high hopes of challenging for both titles once again. However, internal leadership friction at Red Bull and difficulties tailoring the car set-up to his driving style led to a sharp decline in performance.

Although both parties had signed a contract extension for two additional seasons through 2026, his mid-season form confirmed to downturn.

The Mexican struggled to break back into the top five, managing only a single top-10 finish in Las Vegas over the final stretch. This accelerated the termination of his contract, culminating in an official departure from the Milton Keynes team announced in December.

10. The unexpected return with Cadillac F1: 300 races and beyond to 2027

Unexpectedly, struggle-filled stints by Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda in Red Bull's second seat late in 2025 cast Perez's proven track record in a new light, placing him firmly on Cadillac's radar.

The new American team needed an experienced driver capable of leading technical development - a role the Mexican knew intimately from his years at Sauber and Force India.

As expected, the inaugural season has proved to be challenging for the new entrant. Nevertheless, standout drives - such as a top-10 finish in Monaco that would have delivered the team's first point if not for a post-race restart penalty - alongside strong performances against team-mate Valtteri Bottas , secured Perez the team's trust.

As a result, the Mexican not only celebrates his 300th Grand Prix milestone, but also prepares for his second full campaign with Cadillac heading into the 2027 season.

Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

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