Did McLaren Jump the Gun with Pérez?

I think naturally a significantly more experienced driver is going to cope with the McLaren's lack of performance better than a relative newcomer.

However, Jenson Button has hardly built a reputation on that basis, has he? I think every team should be trying to sign Nico Hulkenburg.
 
I'm not sure if I mentioned it at the time or not but the one factor with Perez that didn't make sense was the whole Ferrari thing. Here was a driver who had been part of their young drivers programme for years who was blossoming into form at the same time as their second driver appeared to be in need of a serious replacing yet they didn't take the option. It always left me puzzled as to why and I never believed this 'too much of a danger for Alonso' stuff.

I think some of the reason for them not taking him is driving this years Marussia (I'm not talking about Max Chilton) as they must have had all the time in the world to compare the two and know who they rate best. On that point I think if Massa had been driving the way he was last year then Bianchi would be cert for the Ferrari seat already but thats for another article.

So what made Mclaren think they knew better than Ferrari? WHy didn't the fact Ferrari had snapped him up send a few cautious warning signs to them? Seems strange.

I hope Perez does get better for his sake. I think he could be a handy number two but I think his superstar potential has been shown to be lacking.
 
IMO McLaren were hoping that Perez would have the same kind of immediate impact that Hamilton had in 2007, but instead he's following the more typical developing driver route. Shouldn't be too much of a shock. Like him or loathe him (I like him), Hamilton leaving creates a huge hole to fill and you'd have to be something really special to diminish that. Although Button is now effectively number one, I wonder if Hamilton leaving and Perez underperforming (relatively speaking) will negatively affect Button as I think his team-mate rivalry with Hamilton helped Button raise his game.
 
Perez will be fine once he settles in with the whole way things happen at McLaren. Not easy coming in after an up/down season, a driver leaving due to dis-satisfaction and the car already part developed around him!

Transition year for both team and driver, so if McLaren get their act together Perez and Button should be fine. Maybe look out for a Force India type surge in the second half of the season? :thinking:
 
It's nothing to do with the 3 races he has driven while at McLaren Merc, but rather this:

Brogan said:
Today's race was the first time Pérez has scored points since it was announced he had signed for McLaren.
Click to expand


As soon as it was announced he had signed for McLaren he fell apart.

I will stick with my previous opinion:

Brogan said:
To answer the question posed in the thread title, yes.
Click to expand
 
Legs - No, Andretti II and Zanardi never did anything in F1, Perez has had his "Leyton House" years at Sauber and is now, like Capelli, joining a top team who haven't won too many Championships recently, who've not produced a great car, and attempting to replace a legend.

Ivan Capelli.
 

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