Written by Emily Morales, Edited by Sean McKean
‘El Orgullo de México’ (The pride of Mexico) is how Red Bull's Sergio Perez is described by his adored fans around the world. The growth of Perez’s fans has only expanded as his career continues in Formula 1. The question stands: Just how much influence has Perez had in his home country, and what are some ways his accomplishments have influenced the world of F1 for Mexico?
Throughout the 12 years the Mexican driver has been in F1, Perez has been able to break records and make many great accomplishments for his country. His influence can not only be seen in the number of advertisements and partnerships he has gained, but also in the ever- growing number of people that attend his home race each year to cheer him on. In addition to the different ways, his career has shaped the younger generations' aspirations.
Accomplishments
Perez is not regarded as one of the best Mexican F1 drivers of all time for no reason. The difficulties the Mexican driver has had to overcome throughout his driving career are what has given him this grand title. One of the most memorable was his maiden first victory in 2021 at the Sakhir Grand Prix. Not only did this victory ultimately help him to gain his seat at Red Bull Racing for the next season, but it was also the first Grand Prix F1 victory for a Mexican in 50 years! In 2022, he got his third F1 victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, surpassing the late Mexican driver, Pedro Rodriguez, who had only two wins before his untimely death.
Sergio Perez continues to make new records for Mexico. All of which leave a lasting impact for the new generation of aspiring Mexican drivers to look up to.
Partnerships/Advertisements
If you were to go to any part of Mexico, you will quickly realize the effect Perez has had in his country. Whether you are at a gas station or store, or simply just going outside, you will not go without seeing him. His wide brand sponsors and advertisements have taken over any place you can think of and are widely seen in Mexico. Ranging from companies like Walmart, McDonalds, Cashapp, KAVAK, Pixar, Telmex, and other Mexican companies.
All of the exposure he gets is certainly enjoyed by many of the Mexican fans. This can be seen in the photos fans share and videos posted to Tiktok and Instagram. One of the things fans enjoy doing is finding cutouts of him at their local stores and taking them home, and sometimes even bringing them to F1 events to show support for Perez.
One thing is certain, Perez will only continue to grow his media presence in Mexico.
Home Attendance
It is no secret that there has been an overwhelming amount of growth in the world of F1 these past couple of years. This growth comes after Netflix's ‘Formula One: Drive to Survive, a hit Netflix series following the drivers and teams through the season, and has brought in many new fans, including those from Mexico and all over the world. As a result, the attendance result seen at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez has been immense and continues to grow.
This new exposure provides fans with more insight into Perez’s story and was useful in being able to have fans connect with Perez. For this reason, in 2022 there was a record-breaking number of attendees at the Mexican Grand Prix, welcoming 395,902 F1 fans! With Perez being on a championship-winning team these past couple of years, the number of fans will only continue to set records.
Influence to generations
There is no doubt about it, the Mexican driver has certainly inspired many of his fans, especially those back at home. His ‘Never Give Up’ attitude has spread amongst the old and the young. With some of his younger fans actively trying to follow in the Mexicans’ footsteps to F1. And Perez is always happy to provide his support for them in some way even as small as noticing their efforts online or even meeting them in person. All of this he knows will mean something to the kids with dreams and aspirations just as big as his own.
Conclusion
Sergio Perez has overall been able to greatly influence the people of his home. Through different mediums he has greatly helped shape new generations and for as long as he is in the sport, will continue to do so. After all, there is a reason he is called ‘El Orgullo de México.’