In 2011, he delivered an impressive debut Formula 1 season after which many dubbed him ‘Rookie of the Year’. Ahead of the 2012 campaign, Sergio Pérez hopes an intense winter of training will deliver the goods at Sauber. A member of Ferrari’s Driver Academy, the Mexican speaks exclusively with GPUpdate.net.
Have you had a good break with the family?
Yes, it was a very good winter. I was very happy to be back home and really enjoyed my time there. Now we’re back to racing again. I’m really looking forward to starting the season on a high, so let’s wait and see how things go. It’s not easy to be away for such a long time, but that’s how it is. I’m very motivated and looking forward to a great year.
What have you been doing for training?
I do running, mostly. I also do sessions in the gym and always try to make it fun. At the end of the day, it was a very important time for me in order to prepare myself over the winter to be ready for this season. I’m now a lot more confident and capable of doing the job, as I have the experience from last year. It really makes a difference.
In Barcelona last week you had two consecutive days on-track; was that more effective than a staggered running order, in terms of your own programme?
Yes, of course. I believe we’re going in the right direction. The team will bring good updates for the first race, so it is very important to keep pushing; everybody in the team really needs to push a lot and try to get the best out of the car.
Your team-mate Kamui (Kobayashi) has said that consistency is the target in 2012, but Technical Director James Key has now left the team…
Well, consistency will be the aim. That is the aim for us: to have a very consistent year, have some very good races and score as many points as possible.
Was there anything bad on last year’s car which is a big improvement on the 2012 model?
The main loss last year was the lack of a blown exhaust (now banned in the FIA Technical Regulations). This year it is looking better, but we still have to find a better overall car balance. I won’t say where we really are, because I don’t know, but I think we are in a good position.
You are in the Ferrari Driver Academy; do you think about that much?
Well, I do think about it because I have a big responsibility with them. I am part of their Driver Academy, so I think about it during the year. But right now my main focus is definitely to move my team forward and to be the leader of the team.
Is a Mexican Grand Prix a realistic possibility for coming years?
I really hope so. I hope to be racing back in Mexico because the last time I raced there was in karting, so I would really like to have a race in Mexico – to go there in Formula 1 would be great. The people there ask me how I see things and I obviously try to give the best feedback possible.
Do you have any personal targets this year?
Yes. To establish myself in Formula 1. That will be my main target. It’s difficult to tell you where I want to finish in each race, but I just want to get the most out of the car and try to score as many points as possible.
What about the rumours that you will replace Felipe Massa at Ferrari in 2013?
Well, there are many rumours about it but I don’t really care about them. My main focus is to do the best job possible and who knows where people will be in 2013? There is still one year to go, so many things can happen. I don’t think about it much.
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