Formula 1 drivers spend more time than they’d like to off-track answering questions, usually about car development, tyres or 2021 regulations. It can often meander towards the soporific so Motorsport Week opted to throw some curveballs in the direction of SportPesa Racing Point F1 team driver Sergio Perez…
Q: What would be your ideal non-F1 Sunday?
SP: I’d wake up…I can’t wake up late anymore as we have a baby – he comes and wakes me up, latest at 08:30/09:00! So he kicks me out of bed, he wants me to play, which we do for a bit, we go for breakfast altogether, my wife, the baby and I. Then we go back so he can sleep, rest a bit, watch the TV a bit, go for lunch with family, then in the afternoon we would go to church, and then have a good time with the family in the evening. We go to my Mum’s house, we spend time with my nephews, all the kids together, at the swimming pool, we do a barbecue. That would be my ideal Sunday. And then if there is a football game that day even better.
Q: Favourite food?
SP: Sushi.
Q: Favourite pizza topping?
SP: Hawaiian.
Q: Favourite Animal?
SP: Dogs. I have two – Lucas and Manola?
Q: How many countries have you been to?
SP: I think everywhere apart from Africa – I’ve never been there.
Q: So where would you want to go that you’ve never been to?
SP: I would love to go to South Africa. I’d love to go on Safari.
Q: Favourite country?
SP: I love Japan, Tokyo.
Q: Least favourite chore at home?
SP: Waking up early… Like early for me is 7am. That’s early. 8 is still, on the limit! Those can be my worst days when I have to fly early in the morning. I’m so bad at that.
Q: Worst travel experience?
SP: I remember one. I came for a day basically for the Christmas party of the team last year. It was like 15th or 16th of December. I was coming to the UK for a day. I flew from where I had family in San Diego. On the way back I did about 35 hours! We had a delay of about six hours at Heathrow, we took the flight, then someone got sick on the flight so we had to drop him. It was a nightmare. I came for a day and ended up travelling all that time. That was a bad experience.
Q: Most random thing that’s happened to you in F1?
SP: The Japanese fans are really into it… no, I remember, an Australian fan was giving me hundreds of letters of what she wanted… and thinking of me. That was very awkward. She gave me the package. I read them a bit later and, phew, yeah.
Q: Favourite film?
SP: It’s La Vita e bella… Life is Beautiful. Or Man on Fire.
Q: Best life decision?
SP: Best decision…. Well I don’t want to get into trouble with my wife… But best career decision would be Formula 3. I remember I had the chance to do World Series, or British F3, and I chose British F3 and that ended up being a good decision as I grew a lot as a driver and that opened a lot of opportunities.
Q: Worst decision?
SP: McLaren in 2013 I think!
Q: Tea or coffee?
SP: Coffee.
Q: Favourite colour
SP: Yellow.
Q: Heatwave or cold snap?
SP: Hot. Even in this weather.
Q: Favourite non-F1 sport?
SP: Golf.
Q: Support a team
SP: Football team, America.
Q: Best holiday destination?
SP: Punta Mita, it’s in Vallarta in Mexico.
Q: Night in or night out?
SP: Night out.
Q: City or countryside?
SP: City.
Q: Would you ever go into space?
SP: No, at the moment it costs too much money. I wouldn’t pay that much.
Q: Can you cook?
SP: Yeah but I hate cooking. I live on my own since I’m 14 so I’m able to cook. I’m able to do pasta… rice.. but as I say I don’t enjoy it.
Q: What did your school report say about you?
SP: That I need to calm down! I was always getting in trouble with friends, always doing jokes and that kind of things.
Q: Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?
SP: I think I need some explanation.
Racing Point press officer intervenes: You know what a duck is? Quack quack…
SP: Ah yeah! One. I go for one.
Q: Yeah but it’s massive.
SP: Yeah but I think 100 would end up killing you.
