Luca di Montezemolo: Sergio Perez 'not ready' for Ferrari switch

[Greig]

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has effectively ruled out Sergio Perez driving for his team next year, insisting the Mexican is still lacking experience.

Perez has been enjoying an impressive season with Sauber, having finished on the podium three times, including second place in the Italian Grand Prix last weekend, when he beat both Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

The Sauber driver, in his second season in Formula 1, has been linked with Massa's seat for months, prompting di Montezemolo to play down talk of the Mexican landing a 2013 Ferrari seat back in June.

Although Perez has continued to impress this season, di Montezemolo said on Wednesday that 2013 would still be too soon for the Mexican to move into Ferrari.

"Next season is too early," Di Montezemolo told Sky Sports News. "I'm very pleased for him [after Perez finished second at Monza] because first of all it shows that our choice when we have picked up him as a young driver was good.

"Then it is thanks to Sauber and thanks to the Ferrari Academy that he grows up.

"To put a young guy to Ferrari with the pressure of Ferrari, you need more experience."

Di Montezemolo also said he would welcome world champion Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari in the future should the German leave Red Bull Racing.

"I think that Vettel is more or less in the condition like when Michael was in Benetton," he added.

"He's younger, he's a very good driver and he's making a very good experience so in theory, if you have to ask me a name, I could tell you his name."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102478

[Rob]

Makes alot of sense. If there was testing (unlimited) im sure he would be put into our test team to get alot more KMs in the Ferrari before race seat in maybe a years time.

[PURE PASSION]

I agree unless till then someone grabs him from our hands!!!!

[Rob]

Why would he leave Sauber? He already in very fast car, reliable. Able to score points every race. And in year or so have Ferrari race seat contract. I wouldnt leave Sauber.

[Red passion]

Why would he leave Sauber? He already in very fast car, reliable. Able to score points every race. And in year or so have Ferrari race seat contract. I wouldnt leave Sauber.

True in a year or two, FA will have developed our car into something great unlikr this year, then he will come into a very strong team

[Jas]

so the only potential person to take massas place is so far hulkenberg (who i dont think is better) and maybe kov! hmmm looking better for massa :)

[REDARMYSOJA]

So, it seems Vettel will be at Ferrari soon.

[eddie]

Looks like Ferrari wil extend Massa's contract then

[Hornet]

So, it seems Vettel will be at Ferrari soon.

That seems to be the vibe I'm getting whenever LDM talks about Vettel in recent times.

I'm not sure if Vettel would come over to Ferrari now knowing that if he can't beat Alonso, he will have to play a supporting role. But Luca did say that Ferrari needs to have 2 strong drivers. Not sure what to make of it.

"We will see. Not yet. For sure he has to give us good results, and Felipe has been and still is an important driver for Ferrari. We are not with a gun here to decide. We will see. I think I have to look to the future and we need two very competitive drivers. We will see."
http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsp...ml?CMP=OTC-RSS

It does hint as if Luca will indeed pair Vettel alongside Alonso.

Maybe Luca just doesn't want to give away what Ferrari is really planning, lol.

[theforce]

I still prefer Felipe and his performance has been improving so hopefully they keep him.

[Tony]

Seems LDM is contradicting himself? He said he needed an experienced driver and a younger up and coming driver which would be Perez???

[SoumyaBanerjee]

I wonder how many points Sergio would have got this year sans the top 10 tyre rule and these Pirelli compounds with which sauber always seem able to find the sweet spot....
I think he's quick,but some of his contemporaries,such as Grosjean or the up and comers such as Frijns and Evans are probably better. I wouldnt want Massa next season though. Kovy would be a good choice,i think ferrari should take him for the next 2-3 seasons before SebVet comes onboard....

[REDARMYSOJA]

Seems LDM is contradicting himself? He said he needed an experienced driver and a younger up and coming driver which would be Perez???

I think it was Domenicalli who said that.

[REDARMYSOJA]

That seems to be the vibe I'm getting whenever LDM talks about Vettel in recent times.

I'm not sure if Vettel would come over to Ferrari now knowing that if he can't beat Alonso, he will have to play a supporting role. But Luca did say that Ferrari needs to have 2 strong drivers. Not sure what to make of it.

"We will see. Not yet. For sure he has to give us good results, and Felipe has been and still is an important driver for Ferrari. We are not with a gun here to decide. We will see. I think I have to look to the future and we need two very competitive drivers. We will see."
http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsp...ml?CMP=OTC-RSS

It does hint as if Luca will indeed pair Vettel alongside Alonso.

Maybe Luca just doesn't want to give away what Ferrari is really planning, lol.

I kind of think it's odd that they would want to pair Vettel and Alonso. It's almost like they know Alonso is only going to be around two or three more years.

[Hermann]

I kind of think it's odd that they would want to pair Vettel and Alonso. It's almost like they know Alonso is only going to be around two or three more years.

I thought Fernando has a contract until 2016? And Monte didn't want to pair him with Kimi even (no 2 roosters in one barn) so why would he want to pair him with Vettel? Thats illogical.

[Greig]

Luca is just trying to unsettle Vettel and Red Bull, and also motivate Perez further

[Alonsomaniac]

Luca is just trying to unsettle Vettel and Red Bull, and also motivate Perez further

Something like that.....I doubt anyway if Vettel would like to come to Ferrari right now. He can't beat Alonso on an equal basis and he knows that.
I think Perez has the talent to become a very good driver, maybe even in Fernando's league. But that takes time.
And now Felipe is starting to perform again Ferrari has time to wait.
We will see Felipe in a Ferrari next year I think. Then in 2014 Perez will be ready.

[Corey]

Guess it's a strategical move for these constant comments saying "Perez isn't mature enough", perhaps they wanna use this as a way to lure other teams away from the checo and he's safe to remain on Ferrari's radar until they've chosen who the second 2013 driver will be.

[Poltergeistes]

one must take alot of punch before they get into ferrari, the only way for the situtation not to spoil perez future would be give him another season or 2 to mature, by then we expect ferrari to be top form and not coming from behind, he then being paired with alonso would for a season would be great, then maybe pair vettel and perez, for the future.

something like they did to massa, which it worked, no mattr how much people hates massa you have to agree, nobody thought that felipe massa would be a ferrari driver (and for so long as he has) when he had his first season in F1.

no rush, and remember there will never be a time when a driver's (or personnel's) phone will ring, and it will be from maranello, and they won't pick it up and answer, pack and move to ferrari.

[Giallo 550]

Then we damn well better have Felipe back next season, because Sergio is the only other driver I wouldn't mind seeing drive for SF...

[Tifoso]

Looks like it'll be Vettel (according to the Italian media, FWIW)

[Hornet]

Looks like it'll be Vettel (according to the Italian media, FWIW)

Next year?

I thought he signed with RB already

[anakin]

it "might" be fernando-robert for 2013 at the end of the day

[Giallo 550]

it "might" be fernando-robert for 2013 at the end of the day

Robert who? Kubica? That seems borderline impossible.

[Red passion]

if Robert Kubica had no accident and was still in f1
where would you rate him in the Lewis, Seb, FA, KR group

[shamim179]

Luca is right. Perez has shown moments of brilliance but lacks consistency. He makes too many mistakes. He's great at managing his tyres though but he isn't such a good qualifier. He's a better racer than a qualifier in my opinion.

DiResta, Hulkenberg and Rosberg would be suitable replacements. I think if Hamilton leaves, DiResta will prefer to go to McLaren. If Schumacher leaves and Hamilton doesn't leave then DiResta would probably join Mercedes. Rosberg will probably want to stay where he is. Kov is good but how much of a difference is there between him and Massa? I think it's going to be Hulkenberg. He is fast and makes fewer mistakes than DiResta. If McLaren snap up Hulkenberg we will have a strong challenger.

[vcs316]

it "might" be fernando-robert for 2013 at the end of the day

Highly doubt it. If Kubica has to make a return i doubt any of the top teams would sign him. He would have to prove his worth by racing in a lower team.. I would be very worried if Ferrari sign him for 2013.

[PURE PASSION]

Ι keep hearing all over the net that Checo is close to replace Ham if he leaves Mclaren!!!! I think this could be a big mystake from Ferrari to let him go!!!!!!!!

[Katu]

Ι keep hearing all over the net that Checo is close to replace Ham if he leaves Mclaren!!!! I think this could be a big mystake from Ferrari to let him go!!!!!!!!

Ferrari has Bianchi, he is more familiar with team than Perez is

[Hermann]

Ι keep hearing all over the net that Checo is close to replace Ham if he leaves Mclaren!!!! I think this could be a big mystake from Ferrari to let him go!!!!!!!!

Stop reading autosport.