Sauber signs Perez for 2011 season

Duke · 4 Oct 2010 at 17:42

Heidfeld being used and abused again, as he won't get a 2011 drive with them.

The Sauber team has announced that Mexican Sergio Perez will race alongside Kamui Kobayashi in the 2011 season.

The 20-year-old, who is currently in second place in this year's GP2 championship, will become the first Mexican Formula 1 driver since Hector Alonso Rebaque, who competed in grand prix racing from 1977 to 1981.

Perez, who is yet to drive Formula 1 machinery, has raced in GP2 and GP2 Asia since late-2008, having won the British Formula 3 national class championship in 2007.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/87193

cokebottles · 4 Oct 2010 at 17:56

Shame about Nick, but I'm all for the newbies! I don't know much about this guy aside from watching a couple of his interviews.

Nismo · 4 Oct 2010 at 20:30

Didn't Heidfeld say he was talking to other teams anyway? Not sure he was ever going to stay at Sauber, and only really used them as a way back into some race sharpness for next season.

Witor · 4 Oct 2010 at 20:45

Basically the best Mexican Driver to go with the new sponsorship.

Yep, dont know much about him either...

Slam62 · 4 Oct 2010 at 20:47

Show me the driver with the money

Witor · 4 Oct 2010 at 21:20

And thats the reason he was signed.

/thread

Shimmy · 4 Oct 2010 at 23:01

Perez actually looks like a good driver from the (admittedly) little I've seen of him. When I went to Spa this year, he was comfortably ahead of the rest of the pack.

Here's a quick snap of him I took during the Spa GP2 race:

GravyMonster · 5 Oct 2010 at 09:01

I reckon Heidfeld will be in a Virgin next year.

Also, it can't just be me who thinks the current spec GP2 car looks a hell of a lot better than an F1 car?

ShakenNstirred · 5 Oct 2010 at 13:21

money talks
he must be buying the seat, seeing as he hasnt even driven an F1 car

ins0mn1ac · 5 Oct 2010 at 13:57

Spunkey said:
Also, it can't just be me who thinks the current spec GP2 car looks a hell of a lot better than an F1 car?

Defo, its more how an F1 car SHOULD look.

Duke · 5 Oct 2010 at 15:47

ShakenNstirred said:
money talks
he must be buying the seat, seeing as he hasnt even driven an F1 car

Telmex would be paying for it.

ShakenNstirred · 5 Oct 2010 at 17:42

Duke said:
Telmex would be paying for it.

you know i meant that lol
your main sponsor paying amounts to the same thing.
i didn't mean out of his own pocket

Duke · 5 Oct 2010 at 17:54

Just checking whether you had read the article

GingerNinja1989 · 5 Oct 2010 at 18:08

Spunkey said:
.

Also, it can't just be me who thinks the current spec GP2 car looks a hell of a lot better than an F1 car?

Me too, although aren't they ruining them for next season?

Duke · 5 Oct 2010 at 19:12

Yep they have updated the car. Info and pics here http://f1prospects.com/the-new-formula-1-inspired-2011-gp2-car/ - looks much more like an 2009/2010 F1 car now.

GravyMonster · 5 Oct 2010 at 19:51

Just noticed how much the nose on the 2011 GP2 car looks like a Virgin's, then remembered their both made by Dallara.

ShakenNstirred · 5 Oct 2010 at 20:20

Duke said:
Just checking whether you had read the article

lol
i hate it when its that way though
i think you and i know sauber wouldnt have picked perez if it wasnt for the money, no matter what they say
its happened in world superbikes too for 2011
Alex De Angelis has paid 400k euros to get his ride next year
even though he has been round for years and just cant cut it

Duke · 5 Oct 2010 at 21:05

Yep but if they do turn out to be good then its okay

Its just when they sit in a car all season then get beaten by someone coming into the team at the end of the season *cough* not looking at a certain team on the grid this season *cough*

gam3r · 5 Oct 2010 at 21:47

Spunkey said:
Just noticed how much the nose on the 2011 GP2 car looks like a Virgin's, then remembered their both made by Dallara.

Virgin car isn't made by Dallara.

GravyMonster · 5 Oct 2010 at 21:54

Oh yeah, the HRT is Dallara isn't it? Oh well.