Formula 1: Rare feat achieved by both Sergio Perez and Sebastian Vettel
By Asher Fair
Only one of them won, but Sergio Perez and Sebastian Vettel both pulled off the same accomplishment in Sunday’s Formula 1 race at Baku City Circuit.
Sergio Perez’s victory in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix was his first victory and first podium finish of the 2021 Formula 1 season.
He secured the win ahead of Sebastian Vettel, who had also not finished on the podium in 2021, in second place.
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While it was Perez who won the 51-lap race around the 20-turn, 3.73-mile (6.003-kilometer) Baku City Circuit temporary street circuit in Azadliq Square, Baku, Azerbaijan, both drivers achieved a rare feat with their finishes, something that no other active drivers have ever pulled off.
Both Perez and Vettel finished on the podium for their fourth different constructor.
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Perez secured his first career podium finish in his second season as a full-time driver with a second place finish in the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit driving for Sauber. He did not finish on the podium in his lone season with McLaren in 2013, but in 2014 after moving to Force India, he finished in third in the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit.
While his second place finish in the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix at Intercity Istanbul Park didn’t come after he switched teams from Force India, it still came with a new constructor, as Force India became Racing Point Force India during the 2018 season and then Racing Point in 2019.
After the 2020 season, Perez made the move to Red Bull, and he has now secured podium finishes with four different constructors: three with Sauber, five with Force India, two with Racing Point (one win), and one with Red Bull (one win).
Vettel secured his first career podium finish in his first season as a full-time driver by winning the 2008 Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso.
He moved to Red Bull ahead of the 2009 season and secured his first podium finish with the team by winning the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit.
After six seasons with Red Bull, he moved to Ferrari ahead of the 2015 season, and in his Ferrari debut, he finished in third place in the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit.
After six seasons with Ferrari, he moved to Aston Martin ahead of the 2021 season, and he has now secured podium finishes with four different constructors: one with Toro Rosso (one win), 65 with Red Bull (38 wins), 55 with Ferrari (14 wins), and one with Aston Martin.
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With podium finishes for four different constructors, Perez and Vettel now lead all active drivers. They had been tied with Fernando Alonso (Renault, McLaren, Ferrari) and Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus).