Mexican driver Alfonso Celis joins Sergio Perez in Force India's lineup for Mexican Grand Prix

Mexican driver Alfonso Celis joined Sergio Perez as a fully local duo in Force India during the first free practices of the Formula One Mexican Grand Prix. However, the test driver for the team suffered a spectacular accident near the end of the training session, at Turn 16, which caused a red flag on the circuit. "I am sad about what happened, when you're at home you want to do your best and it couldn't be", he admitted.

The pink race car left Foro Sol and crashed into the wall from behind, damaging the wing, although Celis acknowledged that it was more difficult to control the car because of the new tires.

"I was coming very fast in sector 3, it was the first lap with new tires, I made a mistake in sector 1, but in sector 2 I was improving, and in the last turn I simply lost the car from the entry and couldn't do anything."

The usual driver of the World Series Formula V8 3.5, who had already participated with Force India in the first practice sessions of Austria and Hungary this season, regretted the situation, especially because it was the home race.

"I feel good, I entered a little too fast and lost the car, it looked more dramatic than it was, I didn't even feel it on the car, although the rear wing was slightly damaged."

Even though the international broadcast immediately focused on French driver Esteban Ocon, whom Celis replaced in the tests and who has had a tough rivalry with Sergio Perez this season, Celis played down the situation.

"It's normal, it shouldn't affect anything, whether it happened in Mexico or in any car, I don't think about Esteban or anything else, I only focus on going fast and giving my best to the team; at that moment the car was mine and I was giving it my all."

The local driver, who finished 19th in the first practice session with a best time of 1:22.747 minutes, after completing 17 laps, stated that before the accident he had fulfilled the team's program and was only looking for a fast lap.

"Before, I was going fast on previous laps and with the previous set of tires I had traffic all the time, but the pace was good, until that moment, although I made a mistake in Sector 1 I was 1.7 seconds faster."

Fonso, who finished second in race 2 of the World Series held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in early September, explained that despite what happened he is satisfied with having raced in Formula One in his country.

"I am happy to be here in Mexico, it's a shame to have finished like this, but you want to give it your all and make mistakes, that's what I'll take with me."