The Mexican Sergio ‘Checo’ Perezteam driver red bullsaid this Wednesday that in Latin America there are some good drivers, but they did not reach Formula One because of the lack of opportunities.
“There is great talent in my country, there are great pilots, the same in all of Latin America, but it is a sport where there are not many opportunities. One or two places are opened every year, it depends on how much they want,” said the Mexican pilot. most winners in Formula One.
Born 32 years ago in Guadalajara, western Mexico, Checo stressed that if Latinos want to break into the Formula One grid “having the best driver era in history,” they must do what he did in beginning of his career. , moved to a European country to gain experience.
“Today the drivers come with more years of preparation than when I arrived in 2011. We are still behind Europe and for us to have representatives in Formula One we need them to come to Europe from an early age , to compete on its tracks and tires because ultimately Formula One does not stop being a European sport”, declared the winner of four grand prix.
On the current Formula One grid, Pérez is the only Latino and one of three Hispanics along with Spaniards Fernando Alonso, from Alpine, and Carlos Sainz, from Ferrari.
In addition, since the Brazilian Ayrton Senna won the world championship twice in 1990 and 1991, no other native of Latin America has been a monarch in the highest category of motorsports.
“I have not experienced discrimination in Formula One for being Latin American, but if I have a good race it is not talked about as if I am a European driver and if I have a bad race it is talked about more . I’m lucky to be Mexican and it’s part of the sport, I don’t want to complain about it,” added Checo.
Pérez won his first constructors’ title last week after the United States Grand Prix and with three remaining dates of the 2022 season he is fighting to take second place in the drivers’ championship, battling Monegasque Charles Leclerc, from Ferrari.
Since signing for Red Bull in 2020, Checo has stood out as a trusted squire to his Dutch teammate Max Verstappen, helping him become a two-time world champion, a feat that earned him the nickname “Minister of Defense”.
“This nickname makes me laugh, it has become very popular everywhere, but I prefer the minister of attack because I prefer to attack than to defend. But it is also good to have a defense, ” said Perez.
Source: La Verdad
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