‘Checo’ Pérez was always against the ideas of former president of the United States Donald Trump and when the Republican won the elections in 2017, the pilot from Guadalajara did not hesitate to defend his country by sharing an emotional video in which he exalted the qualities of Mexico. “Our heart is so big that there is no wall that contains it,” said ‘Checo’, who in several interviews did not bite his tongue when referring to the now former president. However, what he could not imagine is that years later he would experience an uncomfortable moment with the same man. Trump a few meters away just before taking part in a Formula 1 race.
It happened just before the start of Sunday’s race. ‘Checo’ needed to go to the grid to get into his car when in the access tunnel to the pit lane he came face to face with the large security entourage that accompanied Donald Trump.
In front of ‘Checo’ was Jo Canales, Pérez’s personal physiotherapist, making way for him to the pit lane through the crowd. And upon seeing Jo running, with an umbrella in her hand, a security person did not hesitate to stop her with his hands so that she would wait for Donald Trump to pass by. However, Jo and ‘Checo’, who was following right behind him, paid no attention and ran towards the grid to arrive on time for the start of the Grand Prix.
In this way, ‘Checo’ and his physiotherapist passed a few meters from Trump, in the opposite direction, through the same tunnel, ignoring the presence of the former president, before the surprised and astonished gaze of several security people, who could not explain how. They had let someone pass through that tunnel at the moment when Trump was supposed to, possibly without knowing that it was one of the stars of Formula 1 and that he was going to get into the dominant car.
Pérez has always defended Mexico from Trump’s ideas
CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH / EFE
Checo Pérez met Trump in the tunnel before arriving at the Miami grill
Rebecca Blackwell/Ap-LaPresse
