Aisha Tukur
One of Mexico’s most famous athletes, Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez talks us through the must-see places in the capital ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix.
In 2015, the Mexican Grand Prix made a triumphant return to Formula 1 after a 23-year absence.
For Sergio “Checo” Pérez, victory was particularly sweet. While born and raised in Guadalajara, Pérez’s status as the most successful Grand Prix driver in Mexican historyhas made him a beloved figure across the country.
Growing up, though, Pérez tells BBC Travel that Formula 1 was not very popular in Mexico: “Normal people had no idea what Formula 1 was. Even finding it on television was really difficult.” Since his father, Antonio Pérez Garibay, was a stock car racing driver who competed in the Nascar Mexico series, Pérez was exposed to motor racing from a young age. “I grew up with motorsport in my blood,” he says. “My target was actually IndyCar when I was growing up. Formula 1 seemed too far away. It was never clear if I’d get the opportunity.”
Formula 1 driver Sergio Pérez began his career at Sauber in 2011. He has since driven for McLaren, Force India, and – most famously – Red Bull. Over the course of his 279 Grands Prix, he’s won six races, the most of any Mexican racer, recorded 39 podiums, and finished second in the 2023 world championship.
Pérez’s karting performances in Mexico and then the United States took his burgeoning career to Europe, and after excelling in Formula 3 and GP2 he became sought after by Formula 1 teams. Since making his debut, he’s helped to grow Formula 1 exponentially around Mexico. “The atmosphere in Mexico now is incredible,” he says. “People follow it a lot. The interest is just massive around Mexico.”
But while his Formula 1 travels mean that he doesn’t get to spend as much time as he’d like in Mexico City, when he returns every year for the Grand Prix (27 October 2024), he knows exactly where to visit. “It’s such a unique and cosmopolitan city,” he says, who is based in Puerto Vallarta between races. “There are so many nationalities, the quality of food is incredible, there are good clubs, nice people, nice museums, there’s a lot of sport to watch. It is a city that has everything.”
