Sergio Perez has hit out at “unprofessional” reports and “made up stories” surrounding his positive Covid-19 test, as he returned to the paddock on Thursday.
Perez tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus during the build-up to the British Grand Prix and missed the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix after returning another positive test.
Perez clarified that he had returned to his native Mexico between events in Hungary and Britain in order to visit his unwell mother, and followed all of the guidelines laid out by the FIA.
Speculation in some media outlets, and on social media, suggested that Perez had also met with his sponsors and backers, and had also been seen with fans.
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-120x86.webp)
After receiving clearance to return to the paddock on Thursday Perez, in an interview with the official Formula 1 channel, hit out at the situation.
“I found it very unprofessional, those things,” he said. “It’s a total lie. I went to Mexico for two days to see my mum, with all the precautions in place. I took care of everything, followed all the guidelines.
“When I was in quarantine I saw everything, I saw people saying I was taking with selfies with people, I saw that I made up the story about my mum, so much bullshit. So unrespectful.
“People here in Formula One think we are bulletproof to the virus, and that’s not the case. We’re all very vulnerable to this. I’ve done nothing differently to anyone else in this paddock. It just happened to me.
“It happened to another friend in another team, when I was in quarantine he called me and said ‘look, I tested positive too’. It can just happen to anyone.
“What cannot happen is that if tomorrow someone else infected that people make up stories instead of being worried about their health.”
Perez also clarified that “I did a test last Thursday in Silverstone. I tested negative, then positive, then negative, then positive. Every day it was pretty difficult. Now finally I manage to be negative.
“I finished my quarantine in the UK [and] I was free to go. But for Formula 1 I had to be negative. In some other sports they clear you up.”
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-350x250.webp)
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-360x180.webp)
I’m sure a lot of F1 fans are medically knowledgeable, so to be short and clear, people say Covid Test but don’t explain or know which test they are talking about.
An Antigen test should be Positive if you are actively infected and virus is present in your body. Depending on 2 factors: 1. How well the test is administered and by whom, and 2. Which methodology is used for the actual test; results may vary. This has to do with making sure you get a good sample and the basic methods of the test. I presume F1 uses the same rapid test on everyone, but I have not seen anything to say that. If they have different test methods (quite possible due to supply issues) then 2 different test methods a day apart may give different results and if the result is unexpected then a highly sensitive and specific PCR test should be performed. Those specific PCR tests require a reference type lab, and I don’t expect F1 packs that gear to every race location. If they do, then I’d like to see the QC on that please. There are instruments that could perform that test, but relocating them is a rather complex process.
IF the test is an Antibody test, then well, all bets are off as to how reliable that is.