Sergio Perez, Force India, Baku City Circuit, 2018

Mexico and USA “the two most important races” for Perez

2018 F1 season

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Sergio Perez considers the upcoming Formula 1 rounds at his home track and nearby Austin as “the two most important races” for him.

The championship moves on to the Circuit of the Americas this weekend before visiting Perez’s home track in Mexico City the weekend after.

“They’re big races for me especially [because] they’re very close to home,” said Perez, whose home town of Guadalajara lies 460km west of Mexico City and 1,200km south of Austin. “I’ve got more of my family there, it feels closer.

“I race so far from Mexico that when I’m back, especially that part of the year when you are so tired of travelling such long distances, it’s nice to have two races where I am so close to home. So the support and motivation is very high for those two.”

Despite Mexico’s return to the F1 calendar three years ago the Circuit of the Americas continues to attract a strong audience from Mexico. “It’s a lot of Mexicans there,” said Perez.

“Probably the two most important races for me where I want to do the best possible job,” he added.

“I love Austin. It’s a very challenging track. In qualifying it’s always a great place. And Mexico is very challenging as well because with the low downforce we have there from the altitude it’s quite a challenge.”

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8 comments on “Mexico and USA “the two most important races” for Perez”

  1. ”Despite Mexico’s return to the F1 calendar three years ago the Circuit of the Americas continues to attract a strong audience from Mexico.”
    – Yes, but still, the only way for COTA to achieve the same (masses) number of Mexican attendees as before 2015 would be to drop the Mexican GP from the Championship altogether.

    1. @jerejj
      Jere, I think they need to look a double pass ticket options. Buy to Austin, you get Mexico for 50%, or the likes.

      I have traveled a fair bit for F1 over the past 6 years, a double pass for a back to back event is appealing and makes sense.

      I have traveled to Monaco from Australia but when I looked at it too far for too little, so we done Spain GP (Max 1st win) then stayed for testing then off to Monaco.

      If they work together it can work.

  2. I live about a 10 hour drive from austin here in mexico, but the diference in price between the 2 gps is astronomical, i can go to the mexican gp on a plane, stay on a better rated hotel and more days on the city for less than half than austin. Just the plane ticket, less than 100 dlls to mexico, compared to 400 dlls to austin, also, hotels are off the charts for the weekend in austin, so even if i go on car, the accommodation takes all the $$$.

  3. When I read the headline here: “Mexico and USA – the two most important races” I mistakenly took this to suggest Perez is in trouble if he doesn’t perform well before Brazil…

    So I’ve been indulging in a little wild fancy… FI (whatever) are fully expected to take Stroll next year, although the only one who seems to be confirming this is Claire… Also Perez is expected to stay next year but the only one asserting this is… er… Perez… While Ocon is quietly waiting in the wings, and seems in no hurry to chase for a Williams seat…
    Why the secrecy… Why no official announcement from FI…? And why are Williams always so slow with decisions…?
    So… is it just possible that the Stroll/Perez partnership is not really a done deal… and might there still be an outside chance for Ocon…?

    Just a thought – slow news week… lol.

    1. Dream on, Perez has taken Force India where it is now, multiple podiums and the best of the rest driver and constructor championship, he has done an incredible job to put this team around him and where it is now with a limited budget and with excellent talented team mates that he always bit, and also brings sponsorship money.

      Ocon is the only guy that didn’t manage to beat he most experience team mate, as Verstappen, Le clerc

      1. Christian Vidal
        17th October 2018, 7:02

        You are actually quite right ! Perez, always an underrated driver, is by far the best of the mid-field drivers (except for Alonso, who is a strange case). Two years in a row best of the rest (2016 and 2017) and perhaps also in 2018. He has beaten highly ranked teammates such as Hulkenberg (2015 and 2016) and Ocon (2018). This year, so far, is four points ahead of Ocon.
        In addition, he has 8 podiums with low-budget teams (Sauber and FI). No one else can match this. Even his year at McLaren, which has been used by many to smear his reputation, was not as bad (not great either). He out-qualified Button and scored a decent amount of points for his first year at the team.
        I don’t see why everybody is so sad about Ocon’s fate. He hasn’t shown anything spectacular unlike Verstappen, Leclerc or Gasly. The only other driver he has put up a fierce fight against is his teammate to the point of crashing into him in Baku 2017 and trying an impossible undertaking in Belgium 2017. Even the issue in Singapore 2018 was a case in which he gave Perez little room to maneuver (although Perez could have done more by slowing down and not taking the natural line of the corner). With other drivers, Ocon has been too soft (for instance, Alonso’s undertaking in Spain 2018 or Verstappen’s undertaking in Belgium 2018). He has also been clumsy such as the crash with Raikonnen in Baku 2018 or the crash with Grosjean in 2018. So, it is hard to see why Ocon is said to be pure talent.

      2. I suppose I should have expected this sort of comment… ;)

        1. “…these sorts of comments…” ;-)

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