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Unstoppable victory for Checo Pérez in Azerbaijan and the lesson of Tsuru

2023-04-30T13:02:54.044Z


The Mexican driver obtains his sixth victory in a Grand Prix and crowns a dream weekend Checo Pérez celebrates the first of the two races he won this weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.Mark Thompson (Getty Images) There are those who said that Checo Pérez worked miracles with second-class cars in Formula 1 before arriving at Red Bull. Something like a place on the podiums above a small Tsuru against mechanical monsters like Mercedes or Ferrari. On a Force India he achieved a third


Checo Pérez celebrates the first of the two races he won this weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.Mark Thompson (Getty Images)

There are those who said that Checo Pérez worked miracles with second-class cars in Formula 1 before arriving at Red Bull.

Something like a place on the podiums above a small Tsuru against mechanical monsters like Mercedes or Ferrari.

On a Force India he achieved a third podium in Azerbaijan in 2016, two years later already under the name of Racing Point he achieved the same on this track.

Somehow, Pérez showed that the pilot's expertise could sometimes win over engineering, data and even reason.

Already on an elite car like the one that Red Bull builds every year, he has exhibited all his repertoire and ability.

This Sunday he has achieved his sixth victory in F1.

“I think in Formula 1 everyone watches you not just for one race or one year but for many years.

And when you see what I have done in recent years, I think I am in a good position to achieve something good for the future," Pérez told the specialized media

FastMag

in 2018 .

Time proved him right.

After spending his prime years at Sauber, suffering the McLaren debacle and having ups and downs at Force India/Racing Point, Pérez had his big break with the energy drink guys.

The Mexican's patience and, above all, his 13 years in the elite have allowed him to get used to the podiums, the champagne party and victory.

This Azerbaijan Grand Prix is ​​one of Checo Pérez's favorite points on the Formula 1 calendar. He won those two third places, also in 2022, already above a high-level car like Red Bull, he obtained second place and, a year earlier, he had his first win with his current team.

Already this year, the Mexican driver added his first sprint race win to his bag of triumphs, despite the fact that in the classifications he could not overcome his colleague Verstappen and Leclerc.

On Sunday, Pérez started in third position.

The first to attack was Verstappen who jumped on Leclerc and passed him on the fourth lap.

The Mexican did the same in front of the Ferrari two laps later.

When it seemed that the double F1 champion was about to lead the race, they asked him to change tires.

Moments later the stewards activated a

safety car

, which benefited Checo Pérez and the rest of the grid even more so that they changed the tires.

Thus, the modern hero of Mexico took the lead.

During an hour of the race, the Latin American kept a Verstappen at bay who was uncomfortable during the weekend.

The Mexican knew how to withstand the onslaught of his partner, whom he kept at a distance of three seconds. The difference with third place, Leclerc, was up to 18 seconds, a beastly gap for the parameters of this motor sport.

Checo Pérez's 29 podiums

The account continues for Sergio Pérez.

At 33 years old, he has found the best version of himself.

"My career is like wine, every year is better," said the Mexican a couple of years ago.

Pérez reached his twenty-ninth podium in Formula 1. He celebrates six victories: Shakhir 2020, Baku in 2021, Monaco and Singapore in 2022;

Saudi Arabia and again Azerbaijan 2023).

In addition to 11 second places (Malaysia and Italy in 2012, Turkey in 2020, Australia, Imola, Spain, Baku, Great Britain, Belgium and Japan in 2022, plus second place in Bahrain in 2023) and 12 third places (Canada, in 2012; Bahrain, in 2014; Russia, in 2015, Monaco and Baku in 2016 and 2018, at the Grand Prix of France, Turkey, the United States, Mexico City in 2021 and 2022 and Abu Dhabi in 2022).


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Source: elparis

All news articles on 2023-04-30

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