Sergio Perez condemns his father’s homophobic remarks

Sergio Perez criticized his father, Antonio Perez Garibay, for the homophobic remarks he made against Ralf Schumacher, former F1 driver.

Ralf Schumacher, who raced from 1997 to 2007, revealed this summer that he is in a homosexual relationship. The brother of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has received massive support after announcing his homosexuality, notably from Lewis Hamilton.

In response to comments from Ralf Schumacher, now a consultant, about the future of the Mexican at Red Bull, Antonio Perez Garibay made problematic statements. « There is a driver who was in F1, who has become a journalist. He first declared that Checo was already out of Red Bull. The following week, [Schumacher] came out of the closet »,” said Antonio Perez Garibay to Mexican media.

« I don’t know if he was in love with Checo. Do you understand? There are a lot of strange things. We no longer know if he is a journalist, a woman, a gentleman. But his opinion doesn’t matter, not because of Checo Perez, but because of what his [ex-]wife said about him.

Perez tries to appease the situation.

Interviewed before the Las Vegas Grand Prix on the possibility of talking to his father about these remarks, Perez wanted to play down the situation. “First of all, I do not agree with any of his comments,” he said on Sky Sports.

« I think he made a mistake about this. I don’t share any of his opinions, but at the same time, I don’t control what my father says. I can only control what I say. I think it’s important, as a sport, to show that no matter what happens on the track, it should stay on the track. That’s how I see things, and we should always be an example for the rest of the world. »

Ralf Schumacher, for his part, assured that he was not angry with Perez’s father despite the remarks. “I would also support my son 100% and try to help him. That’s what a father does,” he wrote in a post on social media.

« As for the style, I would be different, but we know Mr. Pérez and all his emotions. That’s why I’m not angry with him. However, I think that the results on the track would be a better argument.