Sergio Perez has one of the largest fanbases in F1, but his biggest fan has always been his father, Antonio Perez Garibay. Papa Perez leaves no stone unturned when supporting his son, especially during his home race in Mexico. Even though this wholesome father-son relationship manages to spread smiles across the paddock, it once had Charles Leclerc in tears.
Papa Perez caught the attention for the first time during the 2021 Mexican GP. Perez had joined Red Bull that year, and it was the first time Perez had rocked up his home race in a competitive car.
Perez put in a strong performance and finished P3 in the race. Despite an army of Mexican fans supporting their hero, the picture of Perez Sr smiling on, watching his son do his thing, was the fan favorite.
This beautiful connection between Perez and his father struck a chord with Ferrari star Charles Leclerc. Antonio Perez revealed that after the race, his son had received an emotional phone call from Leclerc.
Charles Leclerc was touched by the bond between Sergio Perez and his father
In an exclusive interview with MARCA Claro MVS, Antonio Perez spoke about the phone call between Leclerc and Sergio Perez after the 2021 Mexican GP. Leclerc told Perez that he was extremely touched when he saw Perez celebrating his podium with his parents.
“It brought tears to my eyes. I would have loved my father to see me,” Leclerc told Perez. Antonio Perez expressed shock as he came to know Leclerc’s father.
Charles Leclerc’s father, Herve Leclerc, was a motorsports fanatic and even drove Formula 3 during the 1980s. However, he tragically passed away in 2017, just a few days before Charles Leclerc won the Azerbaijan GP in Formula 2.
Perez’s disappointing 2023 season
As for Sergio Perez, his performance in the 2023 season has been quite lackluster as of late. His underwhelming performances have opened up widespread speculations that the Mexican might even be replaced at the end of the season.
Perez has failed to match up to Verstappen in equal machinery. It is only he, who has the means to put a stop to the Verstappen domination, but Perez has failed to do so. In the last four races, when Verstappen has claimed four back-to-back pole positions, Perez has failed to reach Q3 in each one of them.
Currently, Verstappen leads the F1 standings with a whopping 203 points. Perez is lagging behind in P2 with 133 points. He needs to perform desperately if he wants to escape the wrath of Helmut Marko and retain his place in the team.
