Checo Pérez and his Red Bull team celebrate winning the Monaco Grand Prix on May 29, 2022. Clive Rose (Getty Images)
Winning the Monaco Grand Prix means winning the World Cup in the Maracana. Winning the race at the twisting Monte Carlo circuit, a tight street circuit only made for the great Formula 1 legends, is the mother of all victories. Only 36 riders have won there since 1950, including Checo Pérez. The win, which he achieved in 2022, was the pinnacle of his career.
You have to go back a year. In May, Monte Carlo once again celebrated the prestigious Formula 1 weekend. Pérez started with three podiums in Australia (2nd), Imola (2nd) and Spain (2nd). Things were going very well for the Mexican and the plan was: continue the fight for a win with the permission of Max Verstappen, the undisputed leader. There was some pressure on the Mexican driver as his contract expired and there were doubts about his renewal despite being Verstappen’s peaceful partner who helped him win the title and get onto the podium in 2021.
Things were going great for the Mexican, who was only behind Leclerc in the early free tests, then set the third best time and was the best performer in the final tests. The challenge at Monaco is that the cars are very close to the barriers, so there isn’t a year that goes by without an accident. Checo Pérez lost control of his Red Bull in qualifying before crashing into the circuit tunnel while trying to set his best lap. The commissars raised the red flag and everything was shut down. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took pole, followed by Carlos Sainz and finally the Mexican. An enraged Verstappen ranted about not having a chance to fight for the lead.
There was flooding this Sunday morning. The start was delayed due to the rainy conditions. The race started very cautiously with few incidents and no change at the front. It seemed like it was going to be a boring and soulless race until Ferrari wreaked havoc. The Italian team made the mistake of calling their drivers to change tires. That gave Checo Pérez an opportunity to take the lead, freshen up his tires and withstand the onslaught of an angry Carlos Sainz who was pushing. Mick Schumacher’s Haas came out and the race had to be stopped. To determine the winner, the commissioners decided to walk 30 minutes to the bottom. Pérez crossed the finish line as the winner and the Formula 1 world gave him the utmost respect for holding up under pressure and driving with precision.
Pérez collapsed on the podium when he heard the Mexican anthem. He was also ramping up to celebrate in 2016 when he was racing for Force India, but this time it was a respectable third place. In Monaco, Perez got the right to party in the Red Bull pool and take a dip during the celebrations, a tradition for the energy drinks team. “As a driver, you dream of winning here. After the home race there is nothing special than Monaco. [Tuve que lidiar] with tire degradation, not making mistakes and keeping Carlos in check [Sainz] It was’nt easy. “It’s a great day for me and my country,” he said at the time.
Checo Pérez with Bad Bunny, this Thursday at the Monaco Grand Prix. AFP7 via Europa Press (AFP7 via Europa Press)
Pérez returned to Monaco as the man to watch. Red Bull gave him the starring role in front of the media by inviting singer Bad Bunny to his garage to showcase his helmet. The Puerto Rican, who met the Mexican in Miami, has his favorite driver. “Monaco is one of those places where you end up with a mistake on the wall. There is no margin for error. Sunday can be pretty boring for the fans, but not for the driver himself,” commented the Mexican on Thursday. “It’s not our strongest track, but we’ll see. “Anything can happen here,” he added.
Brazilian Ayrton Senna dominated the opulent streets of the principality, winning it six times. Other Latinos who won it included legendary Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio (twice), his compatriot Carlos Reutemann and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya. Pérez still has fuel to salvage victory on the streets of Monaco.
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