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‘I Am a Real Street Fighter’ – Sergio Perez Wishing to See Long Beach Circuit on the F1 Calendar

Published 01/24/2021, 6:00 AM EST

In recent years, Formula 1 has been shedding quite a lot of interest over the concept of street circuits, with Vietnam and Saudi Arabia looking to join as new entrants. Amid such appreciation for street racing, Mexican driver, Sergio Perez, did not shy away from helping the sport find more of such Grand Prix.

The newly recruited Red Bull driver opined that the Long Beach in California could be an impressive addition to an already appealing calendar. Although F1 cars raced around that circuit for quite a while, there hasn’t been an F1 event in Long Beach for over 30 years.

What did Sergio Perez say?

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During a podcast, Perez spoke about his interest in the inclusion of Long Beach on an F1 calendar. “I’d like to see Long Beach on the calendar,” he said while featuring in an episode of the Talking Bull podcast.

“It is one of the most important stages of IndyCar, a real street circuit. I am a real street fighter. So I love street racing.”

Perez, true to his words, has been an exceptional driver when it comes to street racing. Out of his handful of podiums, the Mexican holds three of those from racing on street circuits – one at Monaco GP and two at Azerbaijan GP.

Hence, 2021 could be the year Perez finally can unleash his talent in a much-faster Red Bull car. With the upcoming season holding five street circuits, Perez could be the driver to watch out for in the battle for the championship title.

Is Long Beach a worthy F1 circuit?

F1 has been quite open to the idea of hosting Grand Prix on street circuits, and Long Beach could be an interesting option for the sport.

This is because the US has been pumped up to host more Grand Prix weekends apart from the one in Austin. Now that Miami is in line for its inclusion on the calendar, there is no reason why Long Beach can’t be an option either.

However, the only thing stopping Long Beach from initiating talks with F1 is that it is a Grade 2 circuit, licensed by the FIA. Hence, in order to host an F1 race, Long Beach must revamp its circuit into the category of Grade 1.

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The circuit, at the moment, runs along a 1.97-mile course, fielding quite a massive straight with curves on either end. The 11-turn circuit also holds one of the most famous hairpin turns.

The circuit is particularly famous for its scenic surroundings, with palm trees on one side and a beautiful shoreline on the other.

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Overall, what do you think about the circuit? Could Long Beach be a worthy-enough track to host F1 races? Or could such street circuits turn out as a hindrance to better circuits that are entirely built for racing?

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Written by:

Rohit Kumar is an F1 author at EssentiallySports. He has been an ardent follower of the racing series since 2007, with his love for the sport coinciding with his love for Kimi Raikkonen. He is also an ardent follower of Sebastian Vettel and Aston Martin Racing.

‘I Am a Real Street Fighter’ – Sergio Perez Wishing to See Long Beach Circuit on the F1 Calendar

What did Sergio Perez say?

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Is Long Beach a worthy F1 circuit?