For the second time in his career, Guadalajara-born Formula One driver Sergio “Checo” Perez won a place on the podium on Sunday, having finished third in the Canadian Grand Prix.
“When you start 15th on the grid, you don’t expect to get a podium finish,” said Perez, upon claiming 15 championship points in Montreal.
The Sauber driver now sits ninth in the standings with 37 points. McLaren’s British driver Lewis Hamilton, who won the Canadian Grand Prix, is first with 88 points.
Adopting a one-stop strategy, Perez managed his tyres carefully, starting on hard tyres before switching to the “super-softs” late in the race.
“We went off very aggressively, and I managed to overtake a few cars. The tyre degradation was not bad for me, and I managed to keep moving up the field,” he said.
“It is particularly sweet to have been at the podium ceremony here in Montreal because we are not too far from my home country and there are many Mexicans here,” Perez added.
The third place finish was the second best result of Perez’s career (he finished second in the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier this year).