Mexico's Sergio Perez Eyes Success at US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas Michael Casey - Associated Press
go to original November 4, 2012

Sergio Perez talks to BBC Sport's Lee McKenzie about his crash during qualifying for the 2011 Monaco Grand Prix which meant he had to miss the race at Monte Carlo. (FiftyFiveBucks

If U.S. Grand Prix organizers are looking for a brand ambassador, Sauber's Sergio Perez wouldn't be a bad choice.

The first Formula One driver from Mexico to reach the podium in 40 years, the 22-year-old racer's fearless driving has earned him comparisons to Ayrton Senna - the three-time world champion who died in fatal crash 18 years ago. His success this season has also put Formula One on the radar in Mexico ahead of the race on Nov. 18 in Austin, Texas.

"It definitely will be a big home race event for me," Perez said of the Nov. 18 race. "It's the closest race we have to my country. Definitely there will be a lot of Mexicans there especially now with the moments I'm having. They are very excited and looking forward to my having a long career in Formula One."

Perez, who is 10th in the drivers' standings, has finished on the podium three times this season, and his second place finish behind McLaren's Lewis Hamilton at the Italian GP in Monza was hailed as one of the most impressive drives of his young career. It also fueled rumors that the boyish-looking Perez may be headed to Ferrari as a replacement for Felipe Massa.

Instead, he was announced as the replacement for Hamilton at McLaren. Hamilton, who won his only F1 title in 2008, will be moving to Mercedes, which made a lucrative offer that McLaren couldn't match.

"I was jumping on my bed," Perez said when he heard of his move to McLaren. "I realized it was an opportunity of a lifetime. I was really motivated and think I've come into the best possible place on the grid. The best team, the best people. I'm just so happy to join my new family next year."

Perez is likely to have a hard time matching the exploits of Hamilton but the soft-spoken Mexican seems unfazed by the prospect.

"I rate Lewis very high. He is one of the fastest drivers in Formula One right now," he said. "To come into those shoes, it will be difficult to fit. I'm confident it was an opportunity I was hoping to have and will give my best. I'm sure I will be very good there. I'm a hungry man for victory and want to win a lot, many titles with McLaren."

Perez will be teaming up with veteran Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion who is a decade older. Many are talking about a big brother relationship and Perez seems keen to learn as much as he can from the Briton. But he also is determined to be treated on equal footing and challenge Button whenever possible on the track.

"Jenson is a very proven driver, one of the best in the world at the moment," Perez said. "It's great to have a champion next to you. I am not a proven driver yet and hopefully I can learn and my target of course is to beat him."

Button said Perez would be a good addition to the team.

"I don't actually think I'm that old. I was surprised when I was told he was 22 years old," Button said, when reminded of the age difference between them.

"It's important to work closely with your teammate. I think that when he's in the team he will probably learn a lot from someone who is older, with more experience, which is me but I still think that when you're an older driver you can still learn from a younger teammate, to bring fresh ideas to the table," he said. "But as an old brother? No, I definitely don't feel like that."

Perez is the fifth Mexican driver to race in F1, the last being Hector Rebaque, who competed from 1977-79. With a father who raced and an older brother who was a champion in Mexico's NASCAR series, Perez grew up around the track.

Starting with karting as a child, the younger Perez quickly showed his potential. He moved to Europe at 15 to compete in Formula BMW and quickly rose through the ranks where he won five GP2 races in 2010. He joined Sauber a year later.

"He's a very a talented driver. That is the reason why we took him up," Sauber principal Monisha Kaltenborn said. "He's very fast. With the experience he will be gaining, and has gained, he will develop to be a great driver one day."

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said the team was looking at several drivers, including Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta, before settling on Perez.

"Most of the drivers in Formula One we could have attracted to the seat," Whitmarsh. "We saw him as the most exciting young talent. Perez is only 22. He's incredibly raw. The age he is today is the age that Lewis first raced in Formula One. He is very undeveloped yet he sparkles."

Whitmarsh said one factor in recruiting Perez, albeit not the deciding one, is the potential he has to help the McLaren brand grow in Latin America.

"(It) will be interesting for the team, interesting for our brand and good for Formula one," Whitmarsh said.

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