Sergio Perez confirmed to replace Lewis Hamilton at McLaren

On the same day that Lewis Hamilton has announced his move to Mercedes, it has been confirmed that Sergio Perez will replace his role at the McLaren team.

Perez leaped into the sport in 2011, instantly taking it by storm. Three podium finishes this year has confirmed him as a “giant killer”, according to McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh:

"On behalf of everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, I’m delighted to welcome 
Sergio on board. His performances throughout 2012 have convinced us that he’s an 
extremely exciting prospect for the future.

It was a string of giant-killing performances, a trio of podiums and a brilliant 
fastest lap in this year’s Monaco Grand Prix that showed us that Sergio lacks 
nothing in terms of speed and commitment.

We’ve been monitoring his progress carefully for some months – and, now that he’s 
become part of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, our task will be to refine and 
develop his abilities as his career progresses over the coming years.

Uniting Sergio alongside Jenson will give us a very broad base of driver ability. 
Jenson is one of motorsport’s greatest ambassadors, and his unique blend of 
prodigious speed and canny race-craft makes him formidably well-armed to fight for 
victory on any Grand Prix circuit in the world. While Sergio is still developing his 
palette of skills, we’re convinced that he’s not only talented and quick, but also 
that he’s willing and eager to learn.”

He’s perfectly poised to develop into a world championship challenger. His addition 
to the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team provides us with the perfect two-pronged driver 
line-up for the new season."

Whitmarsh also praised Lewis Hamilton for his services to the team:

"Finally, it’s entirely appropriate that I should take this opportunity to pass on our 
thanks to Lewis. He wrote a huge chapter of his life and career with us, and was, and 
always will be, a fine member of an exclusive club: the McLaren world champions’ club.

It goes without saying that we all wish him well for the future, just as it also goes 
without saying that we hope and believe that Sergio, too, will become a member of that 
exclusive club before too long."

Unsurprisingly, Perez was delighted to be joining a frontrunning team:

"I’m thrilled and delighted to have become a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver.

The McLaren name is one of the greatest in the history of Formula 1. For more than 40 
years McLaren has been a team that every racing driver has aspired to drive for – I was 
brought up on the great stories of Ayrton Senna’s many world championship triumphs for 
McLaren – and I’m truly honoured that they’ve chosen me to partner Jenson from 2013 
onwards.”

I’d like to thank Carlos Slim Jr, who has helped me since I was 14 years old, without 
whom I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Our journey together over the past eight years has been an incredible one, and I’ll do 
everything in my power to deliver with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes the results that he 
and I have been working so hard and so long to achieve together.

As I say, I’ve worked very hard to get to this stage in my career, and I’m now massively 
looking forward to this next even more exciting stage. It’s fantastic that all the 
sacrifices I’ve made are now paying off.

For example, I remember very clearly the first day I left my family, when I was 15, to 
live in Germany to race in Formula BMW. It was tough for me – I was sleeping in a 
restaurant at that time – but the dream of one day becoming a Formula 1 driver kept me 
going through those difficult days.

Finally, I’d like to thank my beloved family, who’ve encouraged me at every turn, and 
last but far from least the people of Mexico, my home country, whose magnificent support 
I’ll do my very best to reward with future successes with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes."

 

Lewis Hamilton to replace Michael Schumacher at Mercedes for 2013

In a move which has taken place amongst immense speculation in the past few weeks, Mercedes have finally confirmed that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the squad in 2013.

Hamilton, being the key to the 2013 driver market, has been under huge pressure to announce his future for some time now. It is believed that his move to Mercedes will allow him and his management team to enhance and market the Hamilton brand around the world.

This new 3-year deal will partner Lewis with his former karting teammate Nico Rosberg. The two shared a podium at the 2008 Australian Grand Prix for the first time since their childhood racing days.

Hamilton today said:

"It is now time for me to take on a fresh challenge and I am very excited to begin 
a new chapter racing for the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Mercedes-Benz 
has such an incredible heritage in motorsport, along with a passion for winning which 
I share.

Together, we can grow and rise to this new challenge. I believe that I can help steer 
the Silver Arrows to the top and achieve our joint ambitions of winning the world 
championships."

Team principal Ross Brawn was extremely cagey when he talked about Michael Schumacher’s future:

"On behalf of Mercedes AMG Petronas, I would first of all like to thank Michael 
Schumacher for the important contribution he has made to the growth of our team 
over the past three seasons.

His energy and commitment have never wavered, even when results have not matched 
our own expectations, and we are determined to finish the 2012 season together on 
a high. As always, it has been a pleasure to work with Michael."

Mercedes have also announced that former world champion Niki Lauda will join the team as a non-executive chairman on the board of directors.