Perez had no drink during the race: 'Physically my toughest race'.

Perez's podium is important in the championship battle with Mercedes. Valtteri Bottas finished only sixth after taking a grid penalty, so the Mexican is racking up a lot of points for Red Bull Racing.

Already during the installation laps, Perez experienced problems with a leaking water bottle. "Since the first lap I had no water, I couldn't drink at all. I think towards the end of my second stint, it started to get quite difficult, losing my strength," Perez told Jenson Button's post-race interview.

Perez had a tough race

"I think physically this was my toughest race ever," he says. There are many Mexican fans in attendance for Perez, making the United States GP feel like a second home race for the driver. He thanks his fans.