Sergio Perez’s father has lashed out at a former Formula 1 driver in a politically-incorrect tirade.
Ralf Schumacher, now a pundit for German television, has been one of the Red Bull driver’s fiercest critics. Recently, the 49-year-old German confidently predicted: "Next year he won’t drive a single metre in the car.
"I don’t even think he’ll finish the season."
Antonio Perez Garibay, who is 34-year-old Mexican Perez’s father and a well-known politician, told the Spanish-language ESPN Racing podcast that pundits like Schumacher should "apologise".
"There’s one driver, or a journalist, used to be a Formula 1 driver, who first claimed that Checo had been kicked out of Red Bull, and then the next week he came out of the closet," said Perez snr, clearly referring to Schumacher.
"I don’t know, maybe he’s in love with Checo? You understand, right? A lot of strange things are happening. You don’t know anymore if he’s a journalist, a woman or a man.
"But even his words are questionable, not even because of Checo, but because of what his (ex) wife said about him," Antonio Perez Garibay, 65, added.
Ralf Schumacher has responded on an instagram post : “As a father I would also 100% try to back my son. That’s how you do it as a father. I would be different in style but we know Mr. Perez and his emotions, I’m not mad. But I think results on track would serve as a better argument.”
Perez senior also hit out at Lance Stroll, suggesting any claim that Sergio Perez is a ’pay driver’ comparable to the Aston Martin driver is wrong.
"I am not Mr (Lawrence) Stroll," he insisted. "I do not have the money to buy a Formula 1 team for my son nor do we have the capital to be there (in F1) like that.
"Checo is there for him, he arrived for him, he is still there for him and the position he has is for him," Perez added.
However, he admits that his son is financially well supported by Mexican backers, including multiple companies linked to Carlos Slim - one of the world’s richest people.
"We all know that they (F1 teams) need sponsors, they need the support of the country and right now Checo Perez is the most well-known person in this country," said Perez senior. "He has made a great revolution in the world and in Latin America. He has earned his status."
Ralf Schumacher has also been singled out by former Haas boss Gunther Steiner, who was the subject of sustained criticism by Schumacher during his nephew Mick Schumacher’s time in F1. "I wanted his blood," Steiner is quoted as saying by Bild newspaper.
"My famous war of words with Mick’s uncle Ralf made more headlines than some of the damn races. He and I have now buried the hatchet, but I freely admit that the timing of Ralf’s outbursts couldn’t have been worse."