The Ferrari driver had started from pole but did not make a brilliant getaway, as he found himself under attack from Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Perez.
Verstappen was charging to his right down the inside, while Perez had more momentum as he slipstreamed past on the left and attempted to swoop into the lead as the cars ran three abreast into the first corner.
But there was not enough room for all of them and Perez came off worst as his left rear tangled with Leclerc's front left, pitching the Red Bull up in the air before he spun down the escape road.
While Perez was able to continue and dive into the pits, the team discovered too much damage to the car and had to retire him.
Eventual third-place finisher Leclerc was clearly not too popular after the race when, during the post-race interviews, he was heavily jeered by the local fans.
But he defended himself by making it clear that, being sandwiched between the two Red Bulls, he has no room for manoeuvre to avoid a collision.
"A lot of booing...guys," he said in response to the crowd. "I mean, honestly, I had nowhere to go.
"I was a bit in between the two Red Bulls and unfortunately I touched Checo, but I had nowhere to go. So, it's life.
Source: Autosport