Pérez was previously a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, and was considered to be the leading candidate to join Ferrari should a vacant seat become available, but admitted that although he had talked with the team, he had never considered racing for them to be a realistic proposition, adding that McLaren was the best place for him to go.
Pérez foi anteriormente piloto da Driver Academy de Ferrari, e considerado como o principal candidato para unirse ao equipo con base en Maranello no caso de que quedara vacante un asento, pero máis tarde aínda que admitiu que falara co equipo, nunca considerouna unha proposta realista, engadindo que McLaren era o mellor lugar para él.