Perez: ‘Monaco win shows how hard it is for non-Europeans’

Only the third non-European driver to win the Monaco GP since Ayrton Senna’s four-year run, Sergio Perez says that’s just another indication of how difficult it is for drivers outside of Europe to make it into Formula 1.

Perez took the chequered flag at the Monte Carlo street race adding his name to an illustrious list of non-European drivers to have won the race that includes Senna, Gilles Villeneuve, Jody Scheckter, Carlos Reutemann, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren and Juan Manuel Fangio. Also more recently, Juan Pablo Montoya and Mark Webber.

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Perez, though, is the only Mexican driver to have achieved that feat.

The driver, who Red Bull confirmed earlier this week has a new two-deal for 2023 and ’24, says he understand the magnitude of what he achieved on Sunday with the Monaco GP said to be the jewel in F1’s crown.

“Certainly, in terms of history of the sport, I’m a big fan of my sport,” he said. “So, certainly knowing what it means to win a race like this.

“I mean, they’re all very important, but certainly this is very special. And it goes very, very high in the list for my country.”

Superhombre!