After criticism of Checo

Scandal surrounding Perez: Homophobic attack against Schumacher

Antonio Perez Garibay (l.) tangled with Ralf Schumacher (r.).(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU/AFP/ALFREDO ESTRELLA)

"Maybe he was in love with Checo." After Ralf Schumacher publicly declared that he saw no future for his son at Red Bull Racing, Antonio Perez Garibay now launched a counterattack - and overshot the mark ...

"There have been so many media outlets saying that he won't be racing in Mexico, or that he's saying goodbye in Mexico. So they should at least apologize," the father of the Red Bull driver told "ESPN". He was thinking in particular of a driver who was himself in Formula 1 and is now a journalist, said Perez Senior. "First he claimed that Checo was already out of Red Bull, and then in the following weeks he came out of the closet."

Antonio took the fact that Schumacher had admitted his homosexuality in an Instagram post in July as an opportunity to make fun of the Sky expert: "Maybe he was in love with Checo. There are a lot of strange things and you don't know if he's a journalist, if he's a woman or a man. But his word is in doubt. Not because of Checo Perez, but because of what his ex-wife (Cora Schumacher, ed.) said about him."

Antonio Perez Garibay defends his son.(Bild: AFP )

"Checo is here for himself"
The 65-year-old also took Aston Martin's team owner to task when asked about his son's future: "I'm not Mr. Lawrence Stroll, I don't have the money to buy my son a Formula 1 team, we don't have the capital to be here. Checo is here because of himself, he got to this point because of himself, he's still here because of himself and in the position he's in."

Will Sergio Perez soon have to pack his bags?(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

There is no question that Antonio Perez wants Checo to stay in motorsport's premier class, but whether statements like this are the best way to support him is another matter ...