Perez Says He Took a Risk and Would Do It Again 

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico, front, crashes with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco at the start of the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP)
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico, front, crashes with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco at the start of the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP)
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Perez Says He Took a Risk and Would Do It Again 

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico, front, crashes with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco at the start of the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP)
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico, front, crashes with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco at the start of the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP)

Mexican Sergio Perez said he took a risk and would do it again after a first corner collision with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ended his hopes of a home grand prix win on Sunday.

The Red Bull driver, under pressure after a run of poor form, tried to pass around the outside but made contact and was pitched up and onto the run-off with sidepod damage. He got his car back to the pits where he retired.

"I am aware that I took a big risk today, but I forgot about the championship and I forgot about everything else, I was only thinking about winning today," Perez told reporters.

"I didn't think that Leclerc was going to brake so late because he was in the middle and I had already passed him, I didn't expect him to be there.

"For me a podium in Mexico would not have been enough, today I wanted to win and when I had the chance I risked it and maybe risked too much, but I would do it again," added the Mexican.

The race drew a record three-day crowd of 400,639, according to Formula One, with most of them coming to cheer a home hero, who said before the weekend that it was his most important of the season.

Perez had stood proudly at the singing of the national anthem, but the cheers were soon replaced with tears of frustration.

The Red Bull driver made a quick getaway from fifth and attacked Leclerc on the outside as triple champion Max Verstappen went past the Monegasque on the inside.

Leclerc, who finished the race in third place and was booed afterwards, said he was left with "nowhere to go".

"I was a bit in between the Red Bulls and unfortunately I touched Checo. It's life. I damaged my car and unfortunately it ended the race of Checo," he said.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said it was a racing incident.

"You can't blame him (Perez) at his home race for trying to get into the lead in the Grand Prix. It's a tough moment for him in front of his home crowd, he is very emotional," added the Briton.

Perez remained second in the championship standings, but with his lead over Hamilton slashed to 20 points.

Horner said finishing second overall was not make or break for the Mexican, who has a contract for 2024, to be with the team next season.

"He's had some misfortune and issues, but we still believe he can do it. Our attention is to get him in the car for 2024, we want him to finish second but if he doesn't that's not a prerequisite," he said.

The team and Verstappen, who claimed a record 16th win of the season, have already won both championships.



Iraq Decline to Play Palestine World Cup Qualifier in Jerusalem or Jordan

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - Iraq v Palestine - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - October 10, 2024 Palestine fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - Iraq v Palestine - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - October 10, 2024 Palestine fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo
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Iraq Decline to Play Palestine World Cup Qualifier in Jerusalem or Jordan

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - Iraq v Palestine - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - October 10, 2024 Palestine fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - Iraq v Palestine - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - October 10, 2024 Palestine fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo

Iraq want their World Cup qualifier against Palestine next month moved from the Jordanian capital of Amman, having also knocked back a Palestinian proposal to stage the match just outside Jerusalem.
The last soccer international played in the Palestinian territories was in October 2019 and Palestine have since staged their "home" fixtures at neutral venues in Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait and Malaysia.
Palestine are due to host Iraq in a Group B match in the third round of Asian qualifying on March 25 and, after the proposal to play the match in the Palestinian territories was turned down, FIFA proposed Amman as the neutral venue.
According to Reuters, the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) said in a statement on Thursday that it had written to soccer's world governing body asking for the match to be moved to another city as playing in Amman would breach FIFA's own rules on neutral venues.
"This decision raises serious questions about the integrity and fairness of the competition, given the highly competitive nature in Group B," the IFA statement read.
"Iraq, Jordan and Palestine are direct competitors in the group and the gap between Iraq and Jordan in the standings is currently very close."
Iraq are in second place in the group with 11 points, leading Jordan in third by two points and trailing leaders South Korea by three points. The top two teams in the group progress directly to the 2026 World Cup finals in North America.
The Palestine Football Association (PFA) released a statement on Thursday regretting Iraq's decision not to allow the match to go ahead at Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in Al-Ram, Jerusalem.
The PFA said FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had inspected the stadium and agreed the match could be played there, but only with the agreement of the Iraqis.
"We were surprised to learn that our colleagues in the Iraqi Football Association had unilaterally decided to decline playing in Palestine and directly communicated this to the AFC and FIFA without consulting the PFA," the statement said.
"Despite this decision, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to reclaiming our right to host matches on our home soil -- a right we have fought tirelessly to secure and uphold over the years."
The IFA said "despite our keenness to hold the match in beloved Palestine, and to stand with Palestinian sports at this time", the body had decided to refuse because of the lack of VAR technology in the stadium.
Reuters has contacted FIFA and the AFC for comment.
Palestine are bottom of Group B with three points after six matches. Neither Palestine nor Jordan have previously qualified for the World Cup finals, while Iraq lost all three games on their one appearance in Mexico in 1986.