[93], Prez won his first race at the Sakhir Grand Prix, becoming Formula 1's 110th race winner. The podium was Hamilton, Prez and Sebastian Vettel. Sergio Perez Age, Height, Wife, Children, Family The 2019 season saw Racing Point Force India become Racing Point, retaining Prez as a driver. Interestingly, the name Pepe is also given to Mexican people called Jose Luis, with Jose, in some cases. Sorry, there's no story behind it! said Perez, according to the Sun. 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. 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. Now for the race that gave him his famous nickname: the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP. Driving for a team sponsored by Mexican telecommunications company Telmex, he finished eleventh in the championship. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname Checo. [113][5] He led the race until lap 16, where he pitted after coming under pressure from a potential undercut from Leclerc in 2nd. Prez switched to the British Formula 3 Championship for 2007. He overtook Leclerc at the start and led every lap. He won his first GP2 Asia Series race at Sakhir, winning from lights-to-flag in the sprint race having started from pole position. 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. Get the Checo Perez mug. Grosjean crashed his car into Lewis Hamilton creating a domino effect which involved five cars. [108] Prez retired from the race a few laps from the end because of suspected engine problems. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books. Sergio Perez Sorry, there's no story behind it! said Perez, according to the Sun. Formula One F1 United States Grand Prix Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, U.S. October 23, 2022 Red Bulls Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez during the drivers parade ahead of the race REUTERS/Brian Snyder. Sergio Perez was given his nickname by his fans in Mexico. [56][57], In the Bahrain GP, he started 12th on the grid and finished 6th ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso (8th) and his teammate Jenson Button (10th), with whom he had a fierce duel in which they touched on a couple of occasions, increasing the competition between drivers in McLaren on the following races.[58]. At the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Prez qualified in 7th place, starting in 6th place due to a grid penalty for Lando Norris. Why is Sergio Perez called Checo checo Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in 1990, Sergio Prez was interested in motor racing from an early age. 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. Why is Sergio Perez called Checo Sergio Perez Mendoza, also known as Checo Perez, has been a firm fixture on the Formula 1 grid since 2011. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports. Soon something serious will happen so he has to calm down. Sorry, theres no story behind it!. The Chinese Grand Prix saw him start in 12th position and he struggled during the race as well as making contact with several drivers en route to 17th. A strong start to the season, including a 6th-place finish in Azerbaijan,[78] was followed by a string of eight races without points, the longest such string of his career. and Racing Point. Prez took seven points finishes from nine races in the second half of the season. The best drivers in the But six years on, youll be amazed by the things you still dont know about Force Indias Mexican driver. 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. Prez got the sixteenth podium of his career and his sixth with Red Bull Racing. reasons why Sergio "Checo" Perez 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. Ultimately, he finished the season in tenth place in the Drivers' Championship with 66 points, 6 more than teammate Kobayashi.[52]. Interestingly, the name Pepe is also given to Mexican people called Jose Luis, with Jose, in some cases. 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. [129], At the final round in Abu Dhabi, Prez and Leclerc were tied on 280 points for second place. He had a moment with his teammate in Canada when he would not allow his teammate through, who thought he could challenge Daniel Ricciardo for 3rd. Why is Sergio Perez called Checo? Checo 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. Max Verstappen Anoints New Nickname to Teammate Sergio [111] In May 2022, shortly after his win in Monaco, it was announced Prez would stay with the team until the end of the 2024 season.[112]. Sergio Perez Age, Height, Wife, Children, Family He won with a 7.5 second advantage to Leclerc. All Sergios is immediately given the moniker Checo in Mexico, where I grew up. know where Perez's nickname, 'Checo Why Is Sergio Perez Called Checo Post-race, he was investigated for a safety car infringement; ultimately his win was allowed to stand, with him receiving a reprimand and a 5 second penalty. ago Leclerc's emotional phone call [66] Prez stated that contract negotiations were "ongoing", in regards to a further contract extension. And it didn't turn out to be as interesting as many would have expected. Its not really that complicated or interesting. And it didn't turn out to be as interesting as many would have expected. The driver has signed a contract until 2024 with Red Bull, receiving his most recent extension last year. 3. Is Sergio Perez But he has also faced many challenges and faced criticism for his inconsistency on the track. Checo is the nickname given to all people called Sergio in Mexico, according to the man himself. Sorry, theres nothing to it! Similarly to how Jim stands for James in English, Checo stands for Sergio in Mexican Spanish. After a red flag, Prez restarted the race on medium tyres. Sergio Perez reveals why he is named Checo The Mexican race driver back in 2013 explained why his famous name called him. Finally, he was held up by Pierre Gasly who was getting lapped, but was engaged in a battle of his own didn't quickly concede the position. He finished 2nd to Verstappen, with Leclerc having retired. Interestingly, the name Pepe is also given to Mexican people called Jose Luis, with Jose, in some cases. But knowing his stature, itd be safe to assume hell be eager to line himself up in the front row of the grid until he has a car. Except for a retirement in Singapore due to an oil leak,[80] he scored points in every race after the summer break, including a strong 6th-place finish in Belgium. 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 revealed in 2013 the reason behind his nickname. Sergio Perez reveals why he is named Checo It's not really that complicated or interesting. ago Sergio Perez reveals why he is named Checo The Mexican race driver back in 2013 explained why his famous name called him. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are Prez drove for the Campos Grand Prix team in the 200809 GP2 Asia Series, partnering Russian driver Vitaly Petrov. A penalty for Maldonado subsequently promoted Prez to a career-best fourth on the grid. Prez later added: "Just look at the last races. He collided with his teammate Ocon on the opening lap, causing Ocon to crash into a wall and retire from the race. Not bad as in terrible. He was born as the youngest child of Antonio Prez Garibay and Maril Mendoza de Prez in Guadalajara, Jalisco. He also became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy scheme in October 2010.[26]. Its not really that complicated or interesting. 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. until he was successfully sued by the singer 17 times, when he cleverly changed a letter and outwitted his former inspiration. [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. According to him, as quoted by the Sun, Its not really that complicated or interesting. The following year saw him become the youngest driver to compete in the 125cc Shifter Regional category. 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. by honestmaxverstappenfan November 29, 2021. He would play racing games on the setup, which had a real-life car seat, steering wheel, and pedals for acceleration and brake. He said: "Its not really that complicated or interesting. Why Sergio Perez is called 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. The best drivers in the In the race he managed to run third for most of the time, but was caught out by a Safety Car with himself on Medium tyres compared to everyone else's Soft tyres. Verstappen didn't let Prez back past, which left Prez disappointed. Checo is the nickname given to all people called Sergio in Mexico, according to the man himself. In the race he jumped Leclerc on the start and built a 2.5 second gap, which he maintained until his teammate Max Verstappen overtook him on Lap 14 after the order no fighting was issued to Prez if Verstappen were to try to overtake him. 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. 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. However, this iconic defense by Checo cant take credit away from his attacking skills! 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. WebFor non-Spanish speakers, the nickname Checo may seem to have greater meaning behind it or perhaps an in-joke from Perezs friends and family.