Max Verstappen has paid a warm tribute to his former Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez as the Mexican gets ready for his 300th Formula 1 start. Perez reaches the milestone at his home race in Mexico City on Sunday, driving for Cadillac at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The four-time world champion shared a garage with him for four seasons.
“Oh, it’s fantastic (Checo’s 300th race). We had a really good relationship when we were teammates. But also, Checo is a really nice guy; he has a very good heart, and he has a great family,” Verstappen told TV Azteca in Mexico City on Friday.
Few drivers last this long in a sport as demanding as Formula 1. Perez will become just the seventh driver in F1 history to start 300 races, joining Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barrichello, Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button.
Max Verstappen and Checo Shared Four Seasons Side by Side at Red Bull
Perez joined Red Bull in 2021, and the pair of them helped the team win the constructors’ title in 2022 and 2023. Verstappen took the drivers’ crown in all four seasons they shared a garage, while Perez finished runner-up in 2023, the first Mexican driver to do so.
Perez also played a big part in Verstappen’s first title. He delayed Hamilton in the Abu Dhabi finale, which helped Verstappen close the gap when it looked like Hamilton would cruise to victory.
Mexico City carries its own memories for the pair. In 2021, Max Verstappen won this race and Perez finished third, the first home podium for a Mexican driver. Perez has since ranked a podium in front of his home fans as the most special moment of his career.
Perez Celebrates His 300th Start With a New Cadillac Deal
After praising his former teammate’s good heart, Verstappen then turned to Perez’s new contract and the setting for the milestone. “For him to be in Formula 1, and also extended (his contract), so he’ll be in Formula 1 a bit longer. Of course, I think it’s just beautiful that he can celebrate his 300th Grand Prix here (in Mexico), so that makes it extra special,” Verstappen said.
“So yes, lots of good memories and a very good relationship with Checo.”
Cadillac confirmed on Wednesday that Perez signed an extension through the end of 2029. The six-time race winner returned this year after a season out of F1 following his exit from Red Bull. Neither Cadillac driver has scored a point in the team’s first season, but the team is treating Perez as a long-term asset.
“Building a competitive team in F1 is a long-term journey, and securing Checo’s talent and leadership gives us the continuity and commitment we need to build on the strong foundation established in our first year,” Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss said. The team announced the deal on the eve of Perez’s home race.
Perez has said the timing feels like a gift. “How lucky I am to get my 300th at home. It will be something special to be with my whole country,” he said before Cadillac’s home race in Austin.
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