Brake failure wreaked havoc on Perez's efforts on home turf

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It wasn't the Mexican Grand Prix local hero Sergio Perez was expecting, the Force India driver suffering a brake failure that crushed his hopes of delivering a good result on home ground.

Perez launched his race from P13 after the team's decision to sacrifice its performance in Q2 to gain a free tyre choice on Sunday.

A solid effort and a planned one-stop strategy moved the Mexican up to seventh before he was sidelined by his brake failure around the half-way mark of the 71-lap race.

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It was a painful demise, for Perez but also for the massive and supporting Mexican crowd.

"It hurts a lot, it hurts a lot," said Perez, he could almost hear the clamors every time he entered the stadium section of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

"I think we had at least seventh place in our pocket and the great strategy that we started planning [in qualifying] was really paying off.

"Sometimes in racing you have these big disappointments when there is an issue with the car."

A retirement for Perez or for Force India is a rare occurrence given the team's reliability an the consistency of its drivers.

"It was the brakes that forced me to retire because suddenly the pedal went long and we had to park the car.

"Until then it had been a really exciting race for me – I had a great first lap, getting ahead of Fernando [Alonso], and then some good battles with the Saubers later in the race.

"I was controlling my race, looking after the tyres, and I thought we would pick up some good points. I feel sorry for the team and for the fans who have been incredible this week.

"They always make me feel very proud and they gave me amazing support."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.