Sergio Perez admits the dream of one day racing for Ferrari is no more as he focuses on his current Formula 1 challenge.
When the Mexican burst onto the scene with Sauber in 2011-12, he was the hot commodity in the Scuderia's Academy and was often touted as a possible replacement for Felipe Massa.
His career changed after joining McLaren for a difficult 2013 before heading to what is now Racing Point a year later, though was again linked to replacing Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari in 2016 before the idea was squashed.
“Times have changed and my main goal is to take this team to the next step,” Perez said of his aspirations to Spanish publication Marca.
“I’m super-involved with this project, I think we are going through a great commitment, a great moment that we are going through and we can do great things.”
Having instigated the administration process which saved the former Force India outfit and led to Lawrence Stroll's takeover, Perez hopes the new funds can see Racing Point become a threat to the top three teams in the future.
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As for this year though, expectations remain high despite a muted pre-season with a raft of upgrades expected for Melbourne.
“I expected there to be a difference but the thing is it’s super close this season,” 'Checo' stated.
“I can’t tell you who is ahead in that area but everything is tight. Alfa is going to be a very competitive team but I am confident we can stay ahead of everyone (in the midfield).”
And as for whether Red Bull's place as the third best team is under threat, Perez concluded: “It’s a question we are all asking ourselves, but we have to wait for the first race in Melbourne to really see where we are.
“And remember that the Formula 1 season is very long, so you have to have some patience.”
