Spain

Last Race: 12th May Spain

Spain GP Results
Pos Driver
1 Fernando Alonso
2 Kimi Raikkonen
3 Felipe Massa

Perez: My target is to win titles

Sunday 2nd December 2012

Perez: My target is to win titles

Perez: My target is to win titles

Sergio Perez says he will tackle his first season with McLaren with the intention of winning the World title.

Perez made a name for himself this past season as the Mexican, in only his second season in Formula One, secured three podium finishes with Sauber.

His impressive showing caught the attention of the big teams with McLaren announcing the 22-year-old as Lewis Hamilton's replacement.

And already Perez is thinking big.

"I think expectations in terms of result, my target is to win titles with them and to win the Championship already next year," he told ESPNF1.

"That takes a lot of work during the season so it's very important to start very well my preparations with them and try to reach their targets.

"This year they have had many reliability issues and if they solved that they would have been fighting for the title.

"So I think it's realistic what I'm saying and the team is capable of putting together a very strong car. The target has to be always high - it's the way we have to think and McLaren wants to win every race."

But while Perez's targets are high so too will be the pressure on his shoulders as much is demanded of any driver who races for a team such as McLaren.

"When you are in the best team you are always on the radar," he conceded. "When you are doing well you are the hero and when you are doing bad you are the worst one.

"It's kind of getting used to that, but I'm used to it already at Sauber because I remember when I did a podium I was a superstar and when I didn't do well I was a very bad driver who is always doing mistakes.

"The most important thing is to focus on the winter and try to make a very good connection with the team early in January and then be able to fight from the first race onwards."

There are, however, some concerns that the pressure is already getting to him as, following the announcement of his McLaren contract, the Mexican failed to score a single World Championship point in the final races.

Perez, though, insists that had nothing to do with the deal.

"Here in Formula One they like to make stories about everything so they linked it to my [McLaren] contract.

"But it has nothing to do with it because I'm a professional driver, a very loyal person and I'm very grateful to the team [Sauber]."

User comments

    Loading

      Post a comment

      Gallery: Race Day At Barcelona

      Editor's Picks

      Winner and Losers: Spain

      Winner and Losers: Spain

      Alonso reigned in Spain, while the rest of the grid had to ask their engineers how fast they were allowed to drive...

      The PF1 Fantasy League

      The PF1 Fantasy League

      Join the PlanetF1 Fantasy League and go up against the crew at PF1 in our 2013 Friends and Enemies battle...

      The Benetton Class Of 2001

      The Benetton Class Of 2001

      There's something special about the four Benetton drivers lining up in St Mark's Square - they're all in the 200 Club...

      Spain With Lotus & Sure

      Spain With Lotus & Sure

      Lotus sponsor Sure For Men brings you a detailed account of the team's Spanish weekend - from the sublime to the absurd...

      The Forum Is Ready To Chat

      The Forum Is Ready To Chat

      Ferrari came apart (literally), Vettel became the first to two, Lotus put two into the top three and the protests continued. Let's chat...