Checo Pérez finishes 8th in the Mexican Grand Prix

Sergio Pérez soaked in the cheers of the adoring home crowd and touched his chest to show the fans he loved them right back.

He blew kisses, waved a Mexican flag and took a selfie with fans scrambling behind him to get in the shot. The Mexican Grand Prix was as much of a party for the Force India driver as it was a celebration of Formula One's return after 23 years.

If only his finish had lived up to so much adoration.

Pérez, one of just six Mexican drivers in F1 history, finished eighth Sunday at the revamped Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, his sixth race scoring points in the last seven. Nico Rosberg won the race, that marked Formula One's return to the country after a 23-year absence.

The German's fourth victory of the year, and 12th of his career, ended team mate Lewis Hamilton's three-race winning streak with the Briton having to settle for second a week after securing his third title.

Pérez was aiming for at least a top five finish and blamed his struggle on bad tire strategy and a late safety car when Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel crashed.

"It probably was one of the toughest races of my career because we were unlucky in the end. I was racing on worn tires and the drivers ahead and behind me had fresh ones. "

The Mexican fans loudly cheered him through every pass in front of the grandstands. The loudest came midway through the race when Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz had to cede position and let Pérez pass him in front of the biggest crowd section.

"Today I felt like 120,000 people were in the car with me," Pérez said.