🏁 F1 News: The bizarre superstition behind a driver who “needed the Pope” in his car
A strange but fascinating story has surfaced in Formula One, revealing just how far some drivers go when it comes to rituals and beliefs before hitting the track.
According to recent reports, Mexican F1 star Sergio Pérez once refused to drive his car unless it contained a picture of the Pope inside the cockpit. �
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🙏 A ritual rooted in belief
The revelation came from former race strategist Bernie Collins during a discussion about driver superstitions. She explained that one unnamed driver insisted on having a papal image in the car at all times—before being quickly identified as Pérez by fellow pundits. �
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This wasn’t just a casual preference—it was reportedly non-negotiable. If the image wasn’t there, the car wasn’t moving.
In fact, teams even tried to modernize the setup by replacing the physical sticker with a digital version to save weight, but that experiment failed, forcing a return to the original approach. �
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🧠 Superstition meets elite sport
While it may sound unusual, this kind of behavior isn’t unheard of in elite sport. Many drivers and athletes rely on rituals—whether psychological, cultural, or religious—to feel focused and in control under extreme pressure.
In Pérez’s case, the Pope image appears to have served as a source of comfort, protection, or motivation in a sport where margins are razor-thin and risks are high.
🏎️ Not the only Pope-related F1 story
Interestingly, this isn’t the only time Formula One and the Vatican have crossed paths. Spanish legend Fernando Alonso was once considered for an entirely different papal connection—driving the Popemobile during a 2011 visit by Pope Benedict XVI.
However, that idea was quickly rejected by officials, who insisted that only trained security personnel could take the wheel. �
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📊 The bigger picture
This quirky revelation adds another layer to the personalities behind the helmets in Formula One. Beyond the speed, data, and engineering precision lies a human side—full of habits, beliefs, and sometimes downright bizarre traditions.
And in a sport where confidence can make or break a race weekend, even something as simple as a small image in the cockpit might make all the difference.