Overview
Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez is a Mexican racing driver who drives for Red Bull Racing Honda in Formula 1. A two-time race winner, Perez is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, and one of the most reliable racers in F1.
Perez is what you would call a late bloomer. Despite many good results in F1, he never actually won a race until 2020. Then, he took a jaw-dropping last-to-first victory at the Sakhir GP, finally becoming a race winner in the sport.
This season, he took his second victory six races into his Red Bull stint, winning the Azerbaijan GP in fine style.
Early life and career of Perez
Perez was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco. He is the youngest of three children, and has an elder sister and an elder brother. He is married to Carola Martinez, and the couple has two beautiful children. Checo is a Roman Catholic.
Perez picked up karting at the age of six, and took an avid interest in it. In his first year, he won four times and was the runner-up in the junior category. He was a young prodigy in karting, and routinely outclasses his elder peers when it came to podiums and wins.
When Perez became the youngest driver to compete in the 125cc Shifter Regional, racing scouts of Escuderia Telmex started to take notice of him. They appreciated his talent and pace, and took him under their wing to race for bigger leagues. His career would start blossoming from this point onwards.
Perez was signed by Campos for GP2 in 2008 after a successful stint in Formula 3. He became the first Mexican driver to compete in GP2 since Giovanni Aloi. He won his first race at Sakhir, having led the race from pole position itself.
A second win came at Losail, during the night-time sprint race in Qatar. Looking back, it is simply poetic that his first race win as an F1 driver came in the Middle East as well.
Perez then moved to Arden International in time for the main 2009 GP2 series. He had an average season there, and made the switch to Barwa Addax. There, he had a complete turnaround, winning dive races and finishing the season in second place.
He was then called up to F1 by Sauber, marking the beginning of his F1 career. He became the fifth Mexican to compete in F1. Checo impressed everyone on his debut, taking seventh place in the race. The Perez story in F1 had officially begun.
How much does Sergio Perez earn in 2021?
With a career like Perez’s, it is only fair that he earns a significant bit of dough for it too. Perez is sponsored by a few companies, and the deals affect his salary package as well.
The first one is Claro, which is a telecom company arm owned by his countryman Carlos Slim. He is also a Red Bull sponsor, and the team’s car has Claro logos plastered on its rear wings.
Slim has been sponsoring Perez since his early racing days, all the way from his karting career. The two men have a very close relationship, and Perez regards Slim as a father figure. He has appreciated and thanked him for his constant support throughout his career.
Perez is also sponsored by two telecommunications businesses based in Mexico. Telmex and Telcel are the two companies in question, and they are significant contributors in his sponsorship package.
He also used to be associated with sunglasses brand Hawker, but has since ended his ties with them.
Perez’s salary package has only increased throughout his career. From Sauber to Red Bull, it has only gone on an upward trajectory as Checo progressed and got better. Currently at Red Bull, he earns his best salary yet, though it is $15 million lesser than his teammate Max Verstappen’s.
Perez earns $8 million per season with Red Bull. He has been announced for next season to partner Verstappen, and will be earning that money again. His current contract makes him the 11th highest earner in F1. He also earns money through endorsements and other deals.
As a result, Perez’s net worth is very impressive indeed. His net worth in 2021 is approximately $40 million. Most of that is constituted by his salary, and the rest is made up through his endorsement deals and sponsorship pull.
It is hard to say whether it will increase or not in the coming years. If he can put in the performances he is renowned for in the immediate years to come, and if he can retain his seat at a top team, then it is very much likely. He still has plenty to offer in F1, and could be around for the next decade as well.
Where does Sergio Perez invest his money?
Not much is known about Sergio Perez’s personal life. The driver chooses to live a private life with his family outside F1. As a result, there is little to no information on what he does when he is away from the track.
Nevertheless, it has been revealed that Perez is a careful investor in the world of business. He makes few investments, and only goes all in when he is sure of everything. His most recent investment came in February 2021, when he invested in Kavak as part of his Angel.
The Mexican is a shrewd investor, and has revealed that the first thing he does every morning is check his stock market app.
He also invests in charity and charitable ventures. He started The Checo Perez Foundation in 2012 to aid vulnerable groups in Mexico, especially children.
Read more: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at the Turkish GP