Sergio Perez: “Mexican Grand Prix will be huge for F1”

Sergio Perez reckons Formula 1 will be blown away by the reception it gets in his homeland if the planned Mexican Grand Prix gets the green light for 2014. After a trying first season following his move to McLaren, Sergio Perez admits that he is already looking forward to leading the team to the Mexican Grand Prix. A draft calendar circulated to teams before the Monza race had a record 21 rounds, with Mexico listed for November 9, 2014, the week before the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

Perez said: "I'm very excited. It's not confirmed yet, it's just a pre-calendar but I feel there are very big chances now of this happening. It will be great for my country, great for the sport. F1 will be amazed how popular this grand prix can become...it will be huge for F1 as a sport to go there."

Mexican businessman Carlos Slim Domit: "I believe there is potential to do more races in the Americas and I believe that Mexico is in the right spot to do it. It's a stable country, our economy is doing quite well and we have drivers people can identify with. All of the pieces are coming together and I believe the potential promoters are doing a good job in trying to secure something."

Mexico last hosted a grand prix in 1992, when Nigel Mansell triumphed for Williams en route to his world championship title. That race also took place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which is on course to return to the calendar despite rumors that Mexico was seeking alternative venues, such as the resort of Cancun, to stage its comeback.

As expected, the Mexican race is featured towards the end of the 2014 schedule, but was listed before the USGP rather than after it was anticipated. The November 9th slot ensures a three-race swing through the Americas to end the campaign, with Brazil continuing to stage the season finale.

The Mexican reckoned a few flat-out months of work would be required to upgrade the pit and paddock facilities but the layout was good. "I know how good the racetrack is," Perez stated, "Obviously, they need to rebuild it, but there is time enough. They have to change the pits to make them proper for F1, and improve a few corners but, apart from that, it's just a matter of time what they can do. They don't have to do big things for the racetrack to be ready so I really hope - for the good of the sport and my country - that it happens."

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In Austin, F1 Fans Swept Up In “Checomania” For Mexico’s Sergio Perez

During Saturday's qualifying rounds, I could hear the crowd chanting as I walked through the grandstands even with the earplugs in my ears to dampen the sound of the screaming Formula One engines.

It was hard to tell what they were saying at first, until their voices became louder and they competed with the sounds of the cars. "Che-Co! Che-co! Che-co!" Then a minute later, it was clear to everyone what these fans were saying. "CHE-CO! CHE-CO! CHE-CO!"

These people were the thousands of fans who came out to the Circuit of the Americas to turn Mexican driver Sergio "Checo" Perez into the inaugural U.S. Grand Prix's unlikely local hero.

Out here at the circuit, you see scores of people dressed in blue Red Bull garb because Sebastian Vettel has been so dominant in recent years. And there are an even greater number of fans wearing Ferrari red because, well, they're Ferrari — they are to open-wheel racing what the Yankees are to baseball.

But there has also been a huge and somewhat unexpected contingent of fans dressed in white or draped in Mexican flags to cheer on Perez, the 22-year-old Sauber Ferrari driver who is one of F1's most exciting up-and-comers. In case you didn't know, Perez will be racing for McLaren next year, taking Lewis Hamilton's spot as he moves to Mercedes.

Maybe Perez is not such an unlikely hero. Texas used to be Mexico until a war was fought for independence. This state has a huge population of Mexican-Americans, Mexican immigrants and Mexican nationals who call it home. And Austin is only about 235 miles from the Mexican border. Plus, Perez is the only North American currently competing in F1.

For these reasons and more, the circuit has seen a tremendous turnout of people who are rooting for Perez. I've taken to calling it "Checomania," and Austin has it bad.

Continue reading about Sergio "Checo" Perez race in Austin, Texas at Jalopnik.com!

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