In a shocking twist at the Mexican Grand Prix, local hero Sergio “Checo” Pérez faced a crushing blow as he failed to advance beyond the first qualifying round, marking one of his most disappointing performances of the season. The crowd at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, who had hoped to see their hometown hero battling up front, was left in stunned silence as Pérez was eliminated in Qualifying 1, relegating him to a start from the back of the grid in Sunday’s race.
Checo’s outing began with high hopes but quickly spiraled. On his first flying lap, Pérez clocked a 1:18.530, briefly securing seventh place. However, the fierce competition quickly dropped him down the order. Determined to make it count, Pérez attempted another lap, shaving down his time to 1:17.611. But even this wasn’t enough to secure a spot in Qualifying 2, leaving him a disappointing 18th overall.
Pérez’s early elimination came as an unwelcome shock not only for Red Bull but for his legions of fans, who had filled the stands in anticipation of a stellar home performance. Alongside Pérez, other drivers who faced the same fate in the opening round included Franco Colapinto, Oscar Piastri, Esteban Ocon, and Guanyu Zhou.
Tomorrow, Checo will have a mountain to climb, starting far back on the grid. While he’s faced setbacks before, this marks a particularly tough challenge on home soil, where a fierce battle and impressive overtakes will be required if he’s to deliver a memorable performance for his fans. All eyes will be on the Mexican as he attempts the comeback of the season at his beloved Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
