FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ ADVANCE: BIG CHALLENGE FOR LEWIS, BIG CHANCE FOR ‘CHECO’

A feat that took just over 77 seconds may have sealed the move of a lifetime for Mexico’s Sergio “Checo” Perez: to replace 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren Mercedes Formula 1™ team from the start of the 2013 season.

The feat? Fastest lap in the 2012 Monaco Grand Prix, timed at one minute, 17.296 seconds on May 27 in Monte Carlo, just one of what McLaren Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh called “a string of giant-killing performances” by the 22-year-old Mexican for the Sauber F1™ Team in this year’s Formula 1 World Championship™. Three podium finishes in Malaysia, Canada and Italy also played their part.