Sergio Perez’s F1 career has been a show of continuous and rigorous hard work, and it would be absolutely justified if we said that he has aged like a fine wine! The Mexican had struggled for nearly a decade, jumping multiple ships on the grid, until he found his golden season at Racing Point in 2020 and subsequent relatively successful seasons at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen. At Red Bull, he bagged his first pole and also his highest career championship finish, P3.

But the thing that happened most notably at Red Bull was the recognition of his talents and skills, which came into the spotlight. Over the last two seasons, Perez has dropped massive drives and moments after receiving the car that complemented his ability. And all of that revived his nickname, making him popular amongst Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s fans as “Checo.”

However, despite the admiration from fans, many are unaware of the origin of this nickname. “Where did his name come from?” you may wonder. Let us tell you, but heads up: there are two versions, so pick your favorite wisely.

The first one is when, in 2013, Perez himself shed light on why he is called Checo. According to him, as quoted by the Sun, “It’s not really that complicated or interesting. In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname ‘Checo’. Sorry, there’s no story behind it!”

However, in the 4th season of the Netflix series “Drive to Survive,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner funnily revealed a different meaning of Checo to Yuki Tsunoda, Max Verstappen, and Pierre Gasly. During a conversation in Abu Dhabi, Horner explained that the nickname means “Big d**k” in Perez’s homeland, causing all three drivers to burst out laughing.

 

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And while Checo is one of his most commonly used nicknames by his fans, there was another name that emerged after Max Verstappen won the championship in 2021. What’s the name we’re talking about? It’s the “Mexican Minister of defense,” given to him by none other than Verstappen himself.

Origin of the name “Mexican Minister of Defense”

Sergio Perez is considered one of the best drivers on the grid and is respected by many in the sport. But he has also faced many challenges and faced criticism for his inconsistency on the track. And it’s been the same for him at Red Bull, but thanks to his heroics and teamwork, he’s as much of a fan favorite as Max Verstappen.

Perez made his Formula One debut in 2011 with Sauber and has since driven for teams like McLaren, Force India, and Racing Point. He had a breakthrough season in 2012 when he achieved two podium finishes, which was followed by another podium finish in 2013. He then returned to the sport with Force India, where he had some impressive seasons, including a podium finish in 2016. 

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In 2020, Perez signed with Racing Point, which was later renamed Aston Martin. He had a strong start to the season and even achieved his first-ever win at the Sakhir Grand Prix. This performance was crucial in helping Racing Point secure third place in the constructors’ championship, the best result in the team’s history.

This performance also earned him a seat at Red Bull in late 2021, putting a lot of pressure on him. But standing true to his name and experience in Formula 1, Checo delivered a championship-defining performance for Max Verstappen after having played an ultimate team player all season.

Now for the race that gave him his famous nickname: the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP. In the finale at Abu Dhabi, when Max Verstappen was trailing over 8 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton in a do-or-die race for the championship, it was Sergio Perez who defended against all odds, bringing the gap down to almost a second, which later helped Max clinch the drivers’ championship.

In a post-season video, it was Max who quipped about Checo, “He’s the minister of defense now,” referencing the incident above. As quoted by the Planet F1, Red Bull boss Christian Horner said, “He’s been a great team-mate this year, I think. The ambiance between you guys has been fantastic – he says you owe him a beer for Abu Dhabi…”

“Oh, I’ll pay a lot of beers. It’s going to be good,” Max said in this thanks to Checo.

However, this iconic defense by Checo can’t take credit away from his attacking skills! He himself believes that he deserves more credit for his attack, as he said in an interview quoted by the Sports Rush, “I prefer to be the minister of attack. I really think I drive fairly. Of course, I’m aggressive in the race, but I never just throw the door without pardon.” His three wins and 13 podiums in the last two years only tell a little story about the aggression that he has carried into the 2020 season. 

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The driver has signed a contract until 2024 with Red Bull, receiving his most recent extension last year. Will his performance keep up with his age as it has so far? That will be interesting to see. But knowing his stature, it’d be safe to assume he’ll be eager to line himself up in the front row of the grid until he has a car.