Why Is Sergio Perez Called a Street Circuit Specialist?

“The time that leads to mastery is dependent on the intensity of our focus.” The proverb refers specifically to the term “mastery,” which means to do tasks with exceptional proficiency.

We have experts in various disciplines in this Formula 1 realm. If one driver excels at turning, the others are more effective at overtaking. While some pilots perform well in the rain, others could be “specialists” in the streets. You, people, may have understood until now to whom we are referring. Yes, it is Sergio Perez, the “king of streets,” who has been known as a specialist due to his extraordinary skill in street circuits. So, how do street circuits differ from regular circuits, and how did Perez obtain this tag? Let’s have a look.

Street circuits are not the same as traditional racetracks. Since they are being temporarily created on public highways, they are more exciting and enjoyable. Although these circuits are entertaining, they have a number of challenges. Inevitably, there will be bumps and drains along public roads; as long as a vehicle is operating legally and is moving at a reasonable pace, these obstacles are not dangerous. A cracked gearbox, however, can be caused by even a small knock in an F1 car. Drivers are forced to steer around these obstacles due to this particular issue with circuit drains.

Despite all of these challenges, Sergio Perez has been overcoming them, and in recent years, after claiming four of his five career triumphs in city-based races, he has been dominating the streets like a king.

What Gives Sergio Pérez His Street Racing Success?

The victory of the Mexican Sergio Pérez at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix demonstrated his expertise in urban events. He, therefore, handed Red Bull a new victory and elevated Mexico’s reputation in Formula 1 on a global scale. While considering his intimate understanding of these circuits, we might wonder how he has been so successful on these tracks.

The fact that the Red Bull driver is currently competing in his 13th F1 season after making his debut for Sauber in 2011, provides an adequate set of 40 race weekends on what we’re categorizing as street tracks. The statistics unquestionably support the claim that Perez performs better on street tracks than on standard circuits. Even though street tracks only accounted for somewhat less than 17% of his Formula 1 career, he has achieved four out of his five wins, one pole position and 30% of his podium finish on them.

Pérez might have been successful in these kinds of tracks owing to his flexibility and agility. On circuits with constantly packed tracks and little room to go beyond set boundaries, the Mexican has shown a high level of performance. Besides, Checo has claimed in the past that street tracks are ones where the driver may influence results. As highly debated last year, he is a driver who is more at ease in a car that has a tendency to under-steer, whereas Max Verstappen excels in a car that is more pointed, which is potentially quicker but necessitates great precision in rotation.

READ MORE: Has Any F1 Driver Been the King of Baku Streets at the Azerbaijan GP?

It would be overstating things to say that Perez is faster than Verstappen on street tracks, but Checo’s career record as a whole demonstrates his proficiency on these surfaces, making him a more threatening rival. Does that imply Verstappen is no longer as menacing on such tracks? Let’s hear straight from the Dutchman.

Max Verstappen discusses street circuits and is wary of praising teammate Sergio Perez for his achievement there

Fans have frequently protested the inclusion of street circuits over the past few years. The races haven’t been as thrilling as those held on actual race tracks. The double champion shares the same perspective, contending that “A Formula 1 car is not designed to drive on a street track.” So does that imply that he is reluctant to race on public streets? No, argues the Dutchman, as he explains in an interview with the F1 Talk Show, that modern cars are significantly tougher than older ones and are challenging to navigate around.

The Dutchman disputes Sergio Perez’s ability to drive well on street circuits. He asserted that it is more about the competition than the team. Verstappen continued by describing his difficulties, saying that the 2022 car’s excess weight made racing much harder for him.

WATCH THIS STORY: How a Euphoric Sergio Perez Hilariously Leaked His Red Bull Contract Announcement at Monaco

With the heroics at Jeddah, we should note that Mr. Street Specialist has claimed seven podiums on urban circuits. The other instances where he attained podiums are Baku 2016 (third place), Monaco 2016 (third place), Baku 2018 (third place), Baku 2021 (first place), Monaco 2022 (first place), and Singapore GP (first place). With such an impressive track record on the Azerbaijan track, do you believe the Mexican driver can claim another victory at Baku Circuit?