Sauber have signed Mexican Sergio Perez to be second driver to Kamui Kobayashi for the 2011 season. The GP2 runner-up becomes the first Mexican to race in the sport since the not-particularly-good Hector Rebaque back in the 1980s.
Now I must confess to being either blind or stupid, but I genuinely don't seem to know how good he is, even though he won no less than four races in GP2 last year, including one at Silverstone. Where I was in the crowd. From the sounds of it though, he could be a shrewd move for Peter Sauber's boys, as he strikes me as someone who could do a Vettel and become good when it really matters. At only 20 years old, he's already older than both Raikkonen and Massa when they started, so may have to do a bit of catching up in that respect.
Two things strike me about this deal more than anything else, though: firstly, what about Nick Heidfeld? Left Mercedes to test for Pirelli, and then left Pirelli for the second Sauber race-seat. What did he get out of it? Five races in an uncompetitive car. Certainly not what one of Sauber's most loyal and dedicated drivers wanted, or more obviously, deserves.
Secondly, and I know this is much less important, but with a Japanese and Mexican team for next season, I sure would love to visit the Sauber garage's kitchens to see the food they're knocking up in honour of their drivers' respective nationalities.
Oh, hang on, maybe not.
