Mexican Sergio Perez is leaving Sauber for McLaren next season. (Photo: Getty Images)

Perez Had 'Taste' Of Mclaren-Like Pressure In 2012: Ahead of his move to replace Lewis Hamilton, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh recently warned the young Mexican that the added pressure of driving for the famous British team will shock Perez. "He might think he understands it, but he doesn't," said Whitmarsh. Perez, 22, acknowledged: "Of course there is extra pressure when you're driving at the front. "I have to get used to that, but I have already had a taste of it at Sauber," he is quoted by the Dutch website formule.nl. "When I was on the podium I was a superstar, and when I didn't do well, I was the driver who made too many mistakes," admitted Perez. Still, Perez said he expects to succeed in 2013. "I want to win titles with this team, so I want to do it next year," he said. "It will be a long season, so it's important that I am well prepared from the beginning in order to satisfy their expectations."

Ease Of Vettel's Titles 'Abnormal' - Gene: Fernando Alonso was "undoubtedly" the best driver of the 2012 season, according to fellow Spaniard and Ferrari test driver Marc Gene. "The ease with which Vettel has won his titles is abnormal," the former Minardi driver is quoted by EFE news agency. "For me the best driver this year was undoubtedly Fernando, getting thirteen out of twenty podiums." In contrast, Red Bull's German Vettel - who beat his Spanish adversary to the championship by 3 points - was on the podium after 10 of this year's 20 races.

Alonso 'Has Problems' When He Loses - Marko: Dr Helmut Marko has hinted he thinks Fernando Alonso is a bad loser. "He seems to have problems if he doesn't win," said the leading Red Bull Racing official, speaking after the FIA rejected Ferrari's challenge to Sebastian Vettel's title over a disputed yellow flag pass at the 2012 Brazil finale. "When he (Alonso) doesn't win, then he develops incredible political skills," Marko added at a celebratory event in Graz, Austria. As the yellow flag saga unfurled, Spaniard Alonso referred to "the correct rules" being his "miracles". It was also rumored that the Alonso camp got fully behind the campaign to disseminate the video evidence of Vettel's allegedly illegal overtaking throughout the internet. As for next year, Marko has no problem admitting that Red Bull will be a favorite. "We assume that we will have a competitive car. Why should things change so much? We have the same team."

Vettel Wants F1 Return For Austria: Sebastian Vettel has revealed he hopes Red Bull can celebrate a "home Grand Prix" in Austria. Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, who co-founded the highly popular energy drink, not only owns Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, but also the former Austrian Grand Prix venue A1-Ring. After a complete refurbishment, the circuit in Spielberg - which last hosted Formula One in 2003 - is now called the Red Bull Ring. Red Bull's triple consecutive world champion Vettel said: "I was at the inauguration and had the chance to drive there. "The track is completely Formula One-compatible," the German is quoted by Austria's laola1.at.
"I don't know why we (F1) don't go there. For us (Red Bull) it would be great for it to be our home Grand Prix," he said at an event in Graz, Austria.

'Vettel Always Wins' In Newey Cars - Marko: Dr Helmut Marko has hit back at Fernando Alonso, after the Spaniard recently said his real championship rival is Red Bull designer Adrian Newey. "Our Spanish adversary does not seem quite up to date with his knowledge of the quality of Herr Vettel," Marko, a leading figure at the reigning champion team, said at a celebratory event in Graz, Austria. "Yes, Vettel races in a Newey car, but he (Alonso) seems to have missed that we put two of them (Newey cars) at the start, and at the end it is always Vettel who wins." Marko's comments might be seen as a barb at Vettel's teammate Mark Webber, who this season won twice in the latest Newey-penned RB8. Australian Webber, however, does not think he is being steadily eased into the 'number 2' role at Red Bull. "I'm not thinking I've got to be playing a team role as such," he told reporters late last week in Tasmania, for his regular outdoor adventure event. "I'm there (in F1) for myself, to get the best results possible and to do that I need to be part of the team."

Buemi Eyes Force India, Lotus Seats For 2013: Sebastien Buemi says he is still in the running to secure the Force India race seat for 2013. And the Swiss, who was dropped by Toro Rosso at the end of last year but subsequently signed up as Red Bull's reserve driver, told the Blick newspaper that he might also be a candidate to replace the erratic Romain Grosjean at Lotus. Blick said a new Red Bull deal for the 24-year-old is "on the table". Buemi said: "But I am waiting for Force India's answer. And everything doesn't seem clear at Lotus. "Luckily for me, most teams have not forgotten about me. There's no more I can do." Buemi's career is currently being handled by Julian Jacobi, who is famous for being the great Ayrton Senna's manager. Also still in the running for the remaining 2013 vacancies is Kamui Kobayashi, whose website campaign to raise money from his fans for a race seat is running strongly. Spain's ASnewspaper said the Japanese, who has been dropped by Sauber, has so far raised over EUR 1 million.

Sauber Looks Ahead To First Test Of 2013: Just a week after the longest-ever F1 season ended, Peter Sauber is already looking ahead to the first official action of 2013.The Swiss team's founder revealed in his column for the Sonntagsblick newspaper that Sauber's 2013 car - the Ferrari-powered C32 - will be tested for the first time at Jerez on February 5. "I'm very confident," Sauber wrote. "Because the technical rules are not changing much, we can build on the C31. We are currently on schedule. "I am convinced that on February 5 at Jerez we will put a fast car on the track." Sauber, having lost Sergio Perez to McLaren and dropped Kamui Kobayashi, will have an all-new driver lineup next year. "I don't need to say much about Nico Hulkenberg," said Peter Sauber. "What particularly impressed me in the second half of the season was how he dominated his highly rated teammate Paul di Resta. "And his performance in Sao Paulo inspired us all," he added. Hulkenberg's teammate will be the Telmex-backed Mexican rookie Esteban Gutierrez.