Sergio Perez has said his father Antonio made a “mistake” in comments he made about driver-turned-pundit Ralf Schumacher, which surfaced online recently.

Perez’s father caused controversy when he made commented on Schumacher’s sexuality while responding to his punditry, amid comments surrounding the Mexican’s future at Red Bull.

Sergio Perez: ‘I don’t agree with any of [my father’s] comments’

Schumacher came out earlier this year, revealing via social media that he was in a same-sex relationship, and Perez Sr found himself accused of homophobia when speaking to ESPN over the former F1 driver’s coverage of his son’s performances.

“There’s a driver who was a Formula 1 driver, [turned] journalist,” Perez Garibay said.

“He first stated that Checo [Perez] was already out of Red Bull. The following week, he [Schumacher] came out of the closet.

“I don’t know if he was in love with Checo. Do you understand it? There are many strange things.

“You 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.”

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Schumacher himself responded with a post on Instagram, explaining that he too would have defended his son in such a scenario although not in that manner.

He added that he is “not angry” with Perez Garibay for his comments, but that his son’s on-track performance would be a better argument.

“I would also stand behind my son 100 per cent and try to help. That’s what you do as a father,” the former Williams, Toyota and Jordan driver wrote.

“As for the style, I would be different but we know Mr. Perez with all his emotions.

“That’s why I’m not angry with him.

“However, I believe that results on the track would be the better argument.”

As for the current Red Bull driver, Perez sought to distance himself from the words of his father, and believes that on-track matters should remain as such.

When asked if these comments were a topic he would address with his father in the media pen in Las Vegas, Perez replied: “Yeah, definitely.

“First of all, I don’t agree with any of his comments. I think he did a mistake in that regard. I don’t share any of his views, but at the same time, I don’t control what my father has to say.

“I can only control what I say, and I think it’s important as a sport to always show that whatever happens on track, it always remains on track.

“That’s the way I see it, and we should be always an example for the rest of the world.”

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