F1: Perez A 'Future Champion' After Sepang

Formula 1

F1: Perez A ‘Future Champion’ After Sepang

Sergio Perez shocked the Formula One world with his second-place finish in Malaysia...

SPEED Staff / GMM | Posted March 27, 2012 GMM Newswire

Sergio Perez celebrates his podium finish in Malaysia. (Photo: Getty Images)

Those who watched Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix witnessed "the blossoming of a future champion."

That is the view of Patrick Tambay, a French F1 driver of the '80s who raced with Ferrari.

Sergio Perez currently drives for Sauber, but he is the cream of Ferrari's development program and Tambay told RMC he thinks the Mexican is now definitely set for a future with the famous Italian team.

Perez's current boss Peter Sauber, however, insists that is not going to happen, at least for now.

"If there are teams like Ferrari that are interested in Perez, that's a compliment for us," the Swiss told the Blick newspaper upon arrival at Zurich airport this week.

Ferrari is Sauber's engine supplier and traditional political ally.

"But Sergio has a contract for 2012, which was agreed last year, and this is respected," added Sauber. "There are no talks with Ferrari."

Sauber, 68, also alluded to the fact that this year's red car is not exactly a world-beater at present.

"It would be the wrong time for him to go to Ferrari now," he is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

Sauber also repeated his denial that Perez was ordered to ensure he finished behind Fernando Alonso on Sunday in deference to the team's big cousin Ferrari.

"I'm not saying that's what happened," former engineer Joan Villadelprat told Spanish TV3 television, "but it wouldn't be the first time Ferrari have done that."

Sauber, however, defended the instruction to Perez that, while chasing down Alonso, he should "be careful.

"If anything had happened during the attack on Alonso," he insisted, "we would have zero points instead.

"And then you have nothing at all."