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Perez ready to learn from Button

Sergio Perez started media commitments for McLaren after arriving at the MTC on Wednesday © McLaren

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• Drivers:
• Jenson Button
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• Sergio Perez

• Teams:
• McLaren

Sergio Perez says he has got to learn from Jenson Button but wants to beat his team-mate at McLaren this season.

Making his first appearance in front of the press at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Perez admitted that he would have his work cut out to beat Button early in the season. However, with Button having made his Formula One debut in 2000 and driven for Williams, Benetton, BAR, Honda, Brawn and McLaren, Perez said he must learn from Button's experience.

"I think Jenson has a lot of experience and he is a very fast driver as well," Perez told Sky. "He's one of the best drivers in the world, it's a guarantee that he will be fast, he will be competitive, there's no doubt about it. I think I have to make my own space. I think I will be able to work very well with Jenson because he's a very experienced driver - the most experienced driver we have today in Formula One - so for me it will be great to join him. He's a great champion, I think I've got to learn from him but at the same time I want to beat him."

Perez also said that he would be hoping to take advantage of McLaren's resources to improve further as a driver.

"I think here McLaren helps you improve in many areas. The preparation here is more intense than what I was used to so this automatically with work will improve and I think once the season starts we will start to know where we have to improve."

Reflecting on the man he's replacing - Lewis Hamilton - Perez admitted he had big shoes to fill but reiterated that he would immediately be targeting the world championship.

"They are very big [shoes], he's one of the best drivers in the world so it's never easy to fill one of those shoes. So I'm here to bring everything I can, to give my very best every single race - inside and outside the car - and to work together with this great family that is McLaren.

"I think when you come in to McLaren this has to be your target, otherwise you shouldn't join McLaren. Because here everyone is working for that goal, so I'm coming here to do the same, to work for that goal, and definitely that has to be our goal for us."

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