Guadalajara’s Formula One driver Sergio “Checo” Perez is at the apex of his career, and will never have a better chance of becoming world champion, a dream he has held ever since he began racing go karts as a boy.

His win in last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix puts Perez just six points behind his Red Bull teammate and current world champion Max Verstappen.

Although the season has a long way to go—there are another 19 races on the calendar—Perez believes he has the skills to challenge his Dutch teammate, while acknowledging he will always be the “number two” (junior) driver on the team.   

Perez’s victory on Baku’s street circuit was not unexpected though. He has shown himself to be the “king the streets,” with all his six F1 wins coming on the non-traditional circuits, with last year’s triumph in Monaco being the highlight.

For this reason, Perez will be looking forward to returning to the gilded Monaco streets on May 28, as well racing June 18 on the the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, which is also not a permanent race track.

Meanwhile, the glamorous F1 circus heads this weekend to the Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens for the first of three U.S. races scheduled this season (also Austin, Texas on October 28 and Las Vegas, Nevada on November 18).