“I hope it's like Ohtani,” Sergio “Checo” Perez responded with a laugh when asked how he expected to throw out the first pitch before the Los Angeles Dodgers' game against Philadelphia, which the home team won 5-0.

Invited by the Dodgers to be part of the protocol ceremony before Wednesday's game in Los Angeles, Checo Perez responded at the right time with a kind of curve ball - very pronounced - from the mound to home plate, where star Will Smith was his catcher.

The Mexican driver, who will return to Formula 1 next year with the new Cadillac team, also took charge of making the traditional call “It's time for Dodger Baseball.” And the Guadalajara native added, regarding his country's national holidays: "Viva Mexico!"

Checo Perez feels "Mexican blood" during visit to the Dodgers

A little while before taking the field at Dodger Stadium, Checo Perez had a meeting with reporters in which he spoke about his new stage in F1 after a "sabbatical" year. But the 35-year-old also spoke about the Dodgers.

"It's something very special for me to be here, on a team that has given so much to so many Mexicans, and especially with El Toro (Fernando Valenzuela), who has been very special to this team," Perez said. "And all the Mexicans who have passed through here have undoubtedly been a source of pride, and you can feel that Mexican blood in this team."

Speaking of Mexicans, Checo Perez revealed that the night of the Cry of Independence, September 15, was just a normal day for him and his family. "We didn't do much. We had to wake up really early, they didn't give my children the day off," he said. Few drivers have had the fan following that Checo Perez has had in recent years, not just Mexicans. He commented on his connection with the fans: "I'm lucky to have the best fans in the world. I can see that everyone is very eager to return and really enjoy this last stint of my career."

The fans showed Checo affection at his baseball night in Los Angeles, a city he said would be a great Formula 1 venue.

Checo Perez stays to see Shohei Ohtani's 51st home run

Checo also commented that it is special to have the opportunity to meet athletes like the Dodgers players in this case. Before throwing out the first pitch, the Mexican chatted and joked with Dave Roberts, the team's manager. He listened to the US national anthem with him.

Naturally, Checo and his close friends were especially interested in seeing Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese slugger, who just Tuesday hit his 50th home run of the year and pitched five no-hit innings, was unlucky in his first three at-bats.

But Checo Perez stayed late in the game and had to watch Ohtani come up to bat once again in the eighth inning. Ohtani lived up to the expectations of Perez and the rest of the stadium by hitting a home run to center field, his 51st, to make the score 4-0 at the time.

After the eighth inning was completed, Checo and his supporters got up from their seats next to the Dodgers dugout. The Cadillac driver signed a Red Bull shirt that a fan threw him from the stands before leaving.