12/09/2012
NEWS STORY
Felipe Massa's hopes of being retained for Ferrari in 2013 were boosted when company president Luca di Montezemolo repeated his claim that Sergio Perez is not yet ready to make the move up to the Maranello squad.
Speaking in June, Montezemolo suggested that the Mexican, who is a member of the Maranello outfit's Young Driver Academy, was not yet ready for his team.
"Perez is a good driver but to drive a Ferrari you need more experience," he said. "I think he is one of the potential best young drivers for the future but before putting a young driver in a Ferrari I need more experience and more results."
Despite a recent revival from Felipe Massa, many believe Perez is still Maranello bound, the Mexican's stunning drive to second at Monza, watched by Montezemolo, virtually guaranteeing the move. Not so says the Ferrari president.
"Next season is too early," he told Sky Sports News. "I'm very pleased for him because first of all it showed that our choice when we picked up him as a young driver was good. Then it is thanks to Sauber, thanks to the Ferrari Academy, he grow up."
However, to ensure that there in no misunderstanding, and no doubt give further hope to both Massa and Zorro, he added: "To put a young guy to Ferrari with the pressure of Ferrari, you need more experience."
In a move that will reignite the sensational 'Vettel to join Ferrari' headlines that appear with tedious regularity, Montezemolo, when asked who he would most like to see in one of his cars, paid tribute to the German youngster's talent
"I think that Vettel is more or less in the condition like when Michael was in Benetton," he said. "He's young, he's a very good driver and he's making a very good experience. So this could be, of course in the theory, but if you have to ask me a name I have to tell you this name."