Sergio Perez will leave McLaren at the end of the current season, after just one year with the Woking team. The news has yet to be confirmed by McLaren, but it appears that the team chose not to take up its option for the Mexican to continue in 2014. The McLaren has not been a very good car this year, but the 23-year-old Mexican has seemed a little overwhelmed on occasion. He has collected only 35 points compared to Jenson Button’s 60. In qualifying Button has been ahead on nine occasions, Perez eight times and it is a widely-held belief that Button is not a great qualifier. Perez’s biggest problem, however, has been that the people in Woking believe that they have a real ace up their sleeve in the person of Kevin Magnussen, who is understood to have done much better in the McLaren simulator than Perez. This year the 21-year-old Dane has shown both pace and maturity in the Renault 3.5 World Series and cantered to the title. It will still be a big step for him to race for McLaren, particularly at a time when the cars are changing significantly, but it seems that McLaren is sufficiently confident that Kevin will be able to take the pressure and flourish. He will then be a much stronger driver in 2015 when McLaren starts its new relationship with Honda.
The team does not have a history of taking on many debutants, although back in the days before Martin Whitmarsh was involved, McLaren was the team that gave Alain Prost his break in F1. McLaren also gave Kevin’s father Jan his F1 debut in 1991. The most famous case in the modern era was when it gave Lewis Hamilton his Grand Prix chance in 2007. It should be noted, however, that the rules were different in that era and Lewis had completed at least 10,000 miles of testing before his first race, an unthinkable luxury in the current environment.
The team is keeping its options open for 2015. There has been plenty of talk of a deal with Fernando Alonso but it is also possible that the team will decide that the best thing to do is to bring on Stoffel Vandoorne, another youngster, who has been racing Magnussen this year. Vandoorne is expected to move into GP2 next year and if all goes well would be ready for F1 in 2015 or 2016. The team would keep Button until then. Team boss Martin Whitmarsh said recently that he believes that both McLaren Young Drivers are “pretty special.”
The big question now is what will happen to Perez. He might have a chance of a drive at Lotus in 2014 if he can bring support to the team from the Slim Family, which has supported him throughout his career so far. The only problem with this is that he will need to act fast as the news that Felipe Massa has signed for Williams, means that the road is clear for Pastor Maldonado to sign for Lotus. That might be stopped if the people from Quantum come up with the money but the money has been about to arrive for so long that some of those involved no longer believe in the deal. If the money does appear Nico Hulkenberg would get the ride, if not the team may have to go with Maldonado. However, if Perez comes up with sufficient cash then he might be deemed a better choice. If not then Sergio might find himself back at Sauber, or with Force India.
Keeping Perez in F1 is quite important for Mexico as the country is planning to hold a Grand Prix in 2015 and beyond and Esteban Gutierrez’s place at Sauber is anything but certain at the moment.
joeblogsf1 
It occurs to me – aren’t McLaren supposed to be announcing their new title sponsor soon?
If you read my Business of Motorsport magazine, you would already know…
I will now. Always looking for good news sources. Ta
Doesn’t that cost as much as a Sky subscription? Too rich for us poor pensioners Joe. 🙂 Yes I know we are not your target audience but some of us would like to be. I find the off the track issues and intrigue as fascinating as the races nowadays. That plus the engineering side make up for some boring tracks, the frustrating rules preventing real overtaking battles and the tame run-off areas.
Blimey! It’s all happening today!
Thanks for keeping us up to date with the inside track! I’ll be very disappointed if The Hulk doesn’t go to Lotus. As you say, the longer the money doesn’t arrive, then the more likely it never will…
What does it mean when all the intrigue and dysfunction of one’s siren sport so out paces anything happening on the track? It may mean go get a subscription to Joe’s magazine!
As usual your logic is sound but I’d wish Paul Di Resta or Nico Hulkenberg could have a shot at the seat but I fear neither will ever have a top drive which I feel is a huge shame.
The drivers roulette set in motion
Drivers roulette set in motion
Is this the driver people said Ferrari was fool not to sign instead of Massa??!!
That’ll be why you didn’t respond to my question on the previous story! 🙂
McLaren gave Magnussen Snr his break in 1995, not 1991.
Martin Whitmarsh’s record on driver signings is not wonderful.
He failed to sign Raikkonen in 2009, chose Perez instead of Hulk last year, is not replacing Perez with Hulk this year [it seems].
He’s been very late but vocal in his recent interest in both Alonso and Raikkonen while failing to entice either.
We all remember his declaration that Raikkonen was not likely to succeed in moving from Lotus to …elsewhere.
If he has succeeded in signing Alonso for 2014 or even 2015 that will come as a huge pleasant surprise to all including MW himself.
He also hired Sam Michael which in my (outsider’s) view is the root of the problems that Macca is facing now.
When are they going to replace Button? Or better yet – when is Ron Dennis coming back?
Not yet. And probably not ever.
Here Here time for sir Ron,Wonder if Whitmarsh really has the ruthless streak that every top F1 boss has/needs.
With Massa signing for Williams, and Perez being dropped by MacLaren, at least one of the current drivers won’t get a seat in 2014. If Sirotkin drives for Sauber next year – there seems to be some uncertainty – at least two of the current drivers will be left without a seat for 2014.
Presumably Hulkenberg will still find a seat somewhere, if Lotus decide to sign Maldonado. Then again, the Hulk doesn’t have any sponsorship to speak of. Money talks very loudly in today’s F1.
Paul di Resta doesn’t come with sponsorship either, so he must be another driver who is on a shoogly peg.
When it comes to finding a race seat for 2014, this decision may well be worse news for Hulkenberg than it is for Pérez…
Hello Backmarker (a handle I like because I’ve always liked the underdog). I think I understand what you are saying: the domino effect means Perez might find another berth, because of the sponsorship he carries and the Mexican angle that Joe alluded to. In short, Perez being forced to look for another seat reduces the options for Hulkenberg.
If Maldonado’s millions secure him a seat at Lotus, Hulkenberg might well be frozen out. Perez carries the allure of money and Mexico will host a race. Hulkenberg carries very little except raw talent.
In this musical chairs game it looks distinctly possible to me that Di Resta may be the casualty when the music stops. When you think how Sergio drove last year it seems very sad he is being written off so soon
I always thought signing Perez was a huge mistake, they should have gone for Hulkenberg, Di Resta or even Kobayashi.
Joe, any chance they sign Hulkenberg instead of Magnussen?
I don’t think so.
Well the whole article shows sadly how deluded Martin Witmarsh is.
Not signing Hulkenberg and instead opting for a youngster like Magnussen
is with rule changes 2014 just crazy particularly when also Nr.1 driver is just
on a downward spiral.And in 2015 again going with Honda with a NEW comer
I m sure Ferrari,Mercedes and both Renault teams will be so happy when a top team is voluntary going in destruction mode.Or is she still hoping for Alonso
Time will tell, won’t it?
Magnussen would be a known quantity to them. They would be able to match his simulator data against the likes of JB or even Hamilton from last year. In contrast, whilst Hulkenberg has performed well on track, there would be more risk in taking him out of that environment and trying to imbed him into the McLaren one. Therefore an internal promotion makes more sense. RedBull effectively did the same, suggesting that this is the new practice for the key players. Smaller teams are more reliant on money and therefore take bigger risks.
“RedBull effectively did the same, suggesting that this is the new practice for the key players”.
Red Bull tried for Kimi and failed for some reason. Ferrari signed Kimi. Merc last year signed Hamilton.
I suggest the practice of signing the fastest driver you can is the norm for all the key players who have sufficient money.
Technically Christian Horner tried for Kimi but he was overruled by the mateschitz and Marko. So for everyone complaining Whitmarsh isn’t a proper leader it’s worth remembering how much clout Horner and Brawn have these days in the vast corporate structures that make up teams.
Well its just a rumor that Mr.Marko does decisions apart from the Red Bull Young Driver programme. So I m sure he never overruled Christian Horner.
That Kimi was not hired was simple a question of money.Just remember that
Lotus owes Kimi now almost the same amount of money 16.5 million to 18.0
what RedBull payed for Vettel/Newey COMBINED
Normally I would agree, but depending on who you think is the faster driver. The teams have more data than the NSA and therefore you would hope there is some logic behind the scenes that plays part of the decision for going with a lesser profile driver.
Frankly I’m surprise that MW still has a job. He hasn’t really impressed too much since he’s been at the helm, after Ron Dennis moved on. At some point someone’s got to look at his track record and realize the team is in need of some mgmt changes.
Ron Dennis moved on just as the era of testing and unlimited budgetary excess came crashing down. Given Ron was part of the negotiating game with Hamilton it suggests everyone who thinks Ron would be a panacea to McLarens ills by coming back as TP is not looking at the bigger picture. It is worth remembering that Ron oversaw the team when it produced the dog for ’09 and only finalized his departure once Lewis was caught lying to the stewards. Martin Whitmarsh is the subject of a lot of ire that he frankly doesn’t deserve.
A follow-up to my previous post. With the news that McLaren’s 2014 sponsor won’t be revealed now after the end of the season, does this suggest there may be a change in heart with this sponsor? Without knowing who it was to be (sorry Joe, my budget doesn’t allow multiple subscriptions and in get your race debriefs) but if it had any association to Perez, then maybe they’ve walked away?
It is not.
I can’t understand why everyone still carries on about Mclarens new title sponsor. It was made perfectly clear by Macca and a Joe’s post at the beginning of this year that they wouldn’t reveal until end of the current season so as not to take away from their current sponsor.
But like every thing else people read to much into it.
@Kevin Freeman, regarding your budgetary constraints, why not follow current business practice in F1, ie, avail yourself of all of Joe’s race debriefs without paying a single euro all year….?
If Magnussen gets the seat it will restore my faith in F1 somewhat, as it’s taken a bit of a knock with the not-very-exciting signings of Raikonen to Ferrari, Ricciardo to Red Bull and just the thought of Maldonado in a Lotus…
Jeez, Ricciardo is incredibly talented and quick. He is consistently dragging that rubbish Toro Rosso in to the Top 10 of the grid – places it should not be.
Yes, he does have a tendency to fall away in the race, but that is mainly because he has burned all his tyres getting so far up the grid, and woeful STR strategy..
Give the kid a chance to prove himself in a top car before you write him off.. 😐
Agreed, Tim. If you think back to 2012, after Perez signed for McLaren he went backwards. Ricciardo has only gotten better and beaten JEV squarely. I actually meant to ask Joe if his opinion of the young Australian had changed based on results since the signing?
I think Ricciardo will find it tough going against Vettel.
Personally I don’t think the gap between him and Vergne has been that big this year. Especially given that he has more experience in F1. I wonder how much slack RB will give him at the end of ’14 if he has underperformed relative to their expectations.
Well as Joe already said Ricciardo will have a tough season next year against Vettel as in 2013 it was sad to see Mark Webber being described as
bad driver.Daniel will need a good year just to get at the level of Mark.
And if they still win WCC nobody will have a problem with his performance
Would love to see a Japanese driver like Kamui Kobayashi in a McLarenHonda.
Maybe in the new Team Honda
It does seem incredible that Hulkenberg might miss out on a top drive.
I admit: I was surprised when Perez got the McLaren drive last year – I thought he was flattered on several occasions by fuel strategy and that overall, he was about as quick and useful as Kobayashi.
However, I admit that he got on much better at McLaren than I’d expected. While the point totals for Button and Perez speak for themselves, I feel the latter has done a solid job in inferior equipment. Plus he doesn’t whine as much as Button, whom Perez has passed on-track on several occasions.
Oh well. The sports car scene is going to be very vibrant over here in North America next year with the ALMS-Grand Am merger. I’m sure Perez will find plenty of invitations in his mailbox for quality drives.
Poor guy: “washed up” at 23. He should call Jaime Alguersuari for a drink and a shoulder to cry on.
Blimey mclaren are in a right mess! If only they had backed Hamilton rather than this incredible Button love in that Whitmarsh has presided over. I really hope Magnussen is great as it is such a shame to see what is happening to a once great team. I really hope that this works otherwise Honda will be asking questions very soon!
What was the story with Kevin’s dad?
He was so massively hyped back in the mid-nineties, if I recall Jackie Stewart even referring to him as the ‘next Senna’, and produced exactly zero results. What’s your take on that Joe?
I can’t help but feel history repeating itself here.
Depending on your take on these things, either he was completely uncommitted to the finer arts of extracting the maximum from the car (he drank and smoked a lot), or else he was just unfortunate in that he was (in his naivete) keen to take the step into full-time F1 with Stewart at a time when the team was completely incapable of fielding two competitive cars.
Doubtless his confidence wasn’t served by Jackie Stewart, who had not driven competitively since 1973, giving him an infamous single-seater driving lesson at Oulton Park.
I always felt F1 turned its back on him too quickly, but there was a real fervour to find “the next Schumacher” at the time and the hype machine had moved on to Trulli and Fisichella by then.
Would love Joe’s opinion. I have read interviews with Magnussen Sr that he didn’t take it that seriously. In an era where you had drivers giving their all he was smoking behind the haulers. When the results didn’t show the perceived lack of commitment did not help him.
When I see him in sports cars now he is a very focused person. I think he has learned that it takes more than talent.
In my memory the debut of Jan Magnussen was the Pacific Grand Prix in 1995
Your memory may be better than mine.
It was. He started 12th and finished 10th (watched the review the other night)…which wasn’t bad going in the MP4/10 at that track. It was the Stewart tenure that was disappointing.
I wonder if a rookie driver will be able to handle a car better in his first season than Perez in his fourth season in F1. Will the tires next year degrade as much as this year? Will fuel weight be as much of an issue under the new regs? Look at the difference between Grosjean this year versus last, which is huge. It seems that McLaren needs much less of a jump from Sergio. Not sure even if its fair to compare Button versus Perez given Button has been settled into the team much longer.
Slight correction – McLaren gave Jan Magnussen his debut in 1995, not 1991.
That aside, I’m very glad to see Kevin Magnussen get a break like this. Admittedly his junior career has not been that stellar up to and including 2012, but this year he has very much established himself as the brightest young talent looking to break into F1. Perez did an okay job, but McLaren look for World Championship material in their drivers and it is clear now that Perez is not that. Best to cut him loose ASAP in that situation.
Joe, woudl it not make sense to give Magnussen a full years testing in Buttons Car or even send him to Marussia and sign someone like Di Resta as a stop gap, who could potentially take over from Button eventually. Very similar drivers who get along well and are managed by the same organisation (which i think button runs anyway).
The dream would be to see Di Resta at Mclaren, Hulkenberg with Lotus, and Magnussen at Marrussia, Chilton and Calado at Force India, Sutil and either Guttierez or Perez at Sauber, Sorotkin given a full years testing and then replacing Sutil and a removal of Maldonado instantly!
Whatever has Chilton done to deserve a step up to a midfield team? Other than being solidly beaten each race by the other Caterham and Marussia drivers.
Nothing TBH, but i’d rather him than other pay drivers on the grid get it. Plus in fairness to him, he has been consistent 😛
If it mean PDR staying, I would happily see the end of him
Feel a bit bad for Péres, think he’s been very good and should remain in F1. But an opening in one of the big teams would be exciting. Surely that seat is at least as attractive as the Lotus seat even with McLaren’s scrappy season. Bit of Kovalainen syndrome?
With all these available drivers, maybe it’s time to allow three cars per team!
I would love to see the chaos in the pits.
Not excited at all to see Maldonado in the Lotus. -Unless… No, not at all.
Sadly for MW, he is the face of an unprecedented face plant by McLaren. I s’pose it’s natural that many hold him responsible. What’s the rumor mill say about who shoulders most of the blame?
McLaren seem to be willing to make a lot of changes this year. I think there is one BIG change that is being seriously overlooked. McLaren need to FIRE Martin Whitmarsh. McLaren should have won the constructors last year for the 1st time since 1998, but they blew it and failed to live up to the sky high standards they have down in Woking. The guy who’s supposed to be leading this team doesn’t seem to have the right leadership qualities. He simply isn’t good enough and after 5 years I think he’s incapable of getting the job done. This year has been even more pathetic than his debut year in 2009. Whitmarsh as TP bears the ultimate responsibility and after 5 years and no championships it is time for him to GO!!!
I think you underestimate Martin.
Look at this recent quote about Perez who, you’ll remember, Whitmarsh has decided isn’t good enough to drive for Mclaren next year : “I am trying to help him get a drive…I have rung Lotus. They… do a good job and I have recommended him because he deserves to be in Formula One…”
Only a true Mclaren team boss could find it necessary to explain that a team that’s outscored his own by more than -3 to 1- this year is doing “a good job”. Ron Dennis would be proud. {/snark}
I think McLaren was expecting Perez to be some sort of Kimi Raikkonen.
Yes but he is not a mad Scandinavian, better luck with the next one!
There had to be a scapegoat for this sorry season. Now we have it
Hi Joe..why isn’t Mclaren hiring Hulkenberg??
Good question
Didn’t MW previously say that Nico H. was too heavy for the 2014 cars and that would stop McLaren considering him (stupid IMO).
So now they have dropped Perez, I guess even though they have a space, he doesn’t want to reverse that statement and look foolish (too late for that, again IMO).
Possibly, just possibly, there could be something in the weight distribution that would muck up the car with the Hulks weight, but aren’t JB and NH virtually identical in weight/stature?
I can think of one set of body parts on Hulkenberg that I suspect are considerably larger than Jensons, hence not identical.
No guarantees (as yet) of actual finance coming through for Lotus and Force India are on a dodgy wicket, presumably Sauber will be OK, and absolutely NO NEWS from Caterham ………. .Less Sponsorship available + More expensive Cars + “The BE Model” which pays bugger all to the lower Teams therefore we all should be worried as there will be some Team CFO’s who just can’t make the books add up – and it all can’t go on……. and eventually there’s only one course of action. ( Thanks Bernie for making F1 into a 4 Team and 4 Driver formula ……. NOT. )
Whatever happened to John (the other John)?
Good question; I’ve wondered that too. We miss you John (the other John). Also, great posts the last couple of days Joe. Thanks.
Good question…
I miss him too. The last post of his that I remember included him saying that if Joe insisted on real names, he’d have to consider whether or not to continue (but implied he probably would anyway). In the end, Joe didn’t, but perhaps J(OJ) was under the opposite impression and decided against it?
I have insisted on nothing.
Indeed you haven’t, Joe, as I pointed out. 🙂 And thank you for that, this may be a slightly bizarre nom de plume that I have, but it has been the same person behind it for 13 years now in various places across the internet, and it would feel very strange to give it up.
Oh, I think that’s obvious to all,,,especially given some of the knuckleheaded posts submitted since…
I think our Mr. Sheep was suggesting only that perhaps the mere suggestion made J(oJ) skittish…
Perhaps he wore out his keyboard typing a response?
Ha – he did some epic replies huh !
Perhaps rpaco can tell him he’s missed?
Hey J(oJ), come on back buddy… if you’re not feeling chatty that’s OK, just drop us a quick word…
Joe,
Does Kevin have any large sponsors following him that are large enough to become title sponsor?
No
If Perez departed from F1 I really don’t think he’d be missed by many people.
…apart from a few million Mexicans who “get” F1. He deserves a place in F1, and while possibly not the next biggest thing, has been treat poorly by McLaren in my opinion. It was always going to go like this, yet McLaren couldn’t see it.
Given the huge bad blood between Alonso and McLaren in 2007, I really can’t see him returning in the future, as often speculated recently. Yes, he is an outstanding driver, but I just can’t picture him walking into the McLaren factory like an old friend…
Unless Honda empty their bank account to sign him and give McLaren zero choice in the matter. Perhaps these new boys are the real future for the team, with Button on hand to smooth the transition?
Alonso has basically said it was Ron Dennis, not McLaren that was the obstacle. The people in McLaren still generally talk about Alonso (and Kimi) with great respect that I hear. They’d love to have him back.
It’s amazing how pragmatic everyone becomes when you can sign a winner to a team with new prospects. If McLaren improve next year I don’t think anything will stop them signing Alonso in 2015. Button will be there unless Kevin demolishes him in which case they’ll ditch Button for Alonso.
Aura F1 has hit the nail on the head. Whitmarsh is a huge fan of Magnussen, which is why several others left the McLaren YD programme. He is a big gamble that they really had to take. As to their title sponsors…let’s see what happens in January 2014….
Joe, a question or two if I may..
How likely is Alonso to McLaren for 2014?
Could it be that Hulk is waiting for a Ferrari drive if Alonso does go to Woking? otherwise why does Whitmarsh not snap him up pronto?
No idea.
I do wonder whether McLaren’s new title sponsor effectively indicates a key driver lineup change due to personal sponsorship. Or maybe it’s just the same industry as the outgoing deal, hence saving embarrassment until this year is out.
Telefonica perhaps? Santander is already there of course.
The deal has nothing to do with the drivers…
If this is indeed fact (as many other news sources are also reporting), why do McLaren not announce it as such, instead of Whitmarsh continually saying they are still looking at lots of drivers and no contracts have been signed?
Probably because no contracts have been signed
Joe, how would you rate Paul di Resta’s chances of securing a seat for 2014?
Difficult
Joe, I’m as much interested in the business of Formula 1 as I am the actual competition, if not more so. But at the nexus of the two are some very interesting questions, like is McLaren’s lack of a true superstar marquee-driver (ex. Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel) adversely affecting their search for a title sponsor such that they would have to actively pursue Alonso for next year in order to bank the revenue necessary to competitively fund the team?
Or does the Group make-up for any funding shortfalls due to unrealized sponsorship in order to permit maximum flexibility in the F1 team’s roster?
Leaving aside contractual obligations to Ferrari, would Alonso be willing and able to work for McLaren F1 w/ Ron Dennis at the helm now, and would Dennis even have him back? Both seem quite pragmatic (based on my not knowing either lol…).
No. No. I don’t know.
Cheers, thanks for the reply.
Arranged a period to video coupons.