Inter’s former striker Ivan Zamorano was a childhood idol for Formula One driver Sergio Perez, the Mexican revealed this week.
Zamorano joined the Nerazzurri from Real Madrid in the summer of 1996 and would go on to spend five seasons at San Siro.
The Chilean scored 41 goals in 148 appearances, helping Inter to win the UEFA Cup under Gigi Simoni in 1998.
Asked why he raced with the no. 11 on his car, in an interview for F1’s official social media channels, Red Bull driver Perez explained: “I used to admire a football player.
“His name is Ivan Zamorano, and he had the number 11.
“So when I was at karting, I said: ‘I also want to have a number 11.’
“Since then I’ve always used 11… even my email still leads with number 11.”
Zamorano never wore the no. 11 shirt for Inter, having started with no. 9 before famously using ‘1+8’.
