Oct.16 (GMM) Sergio Perez has targeted Felipe Massa's race seat at Ferrari for 2013.

The Telmex-backed Mexican rookie will stay at Ferrari powered Sauber next season while Brazilian Massa's current Ferrari contract is fulfilled.

But Perez, 21, is a Ferrari driver 'academy' member and recently tested the famous team's 2009 single seater.

Speculation suggests he is the favourite to replace Massa beyond 2012.

"Right now I have a contract with Sauber for next year and I have to do a very good job to get to go to a team like Ferrari," Perez told Spain's AS newspaper.

"It is my goal to become world champion and to be with a team that allows me to work for that, like Ferrari," he admitted.

Perez said he would not be afraid to join Ferrari alongside a formidable teammate like Fernando Alonso.

"No, I'm motivated, not afraid. For me Fernando is the best driver on the grid and to race next to him in my third year in formula one would be very good for me.

"I could learn a lot from him and improve a lot as a driver," he added.

Alonso said in Korea that, even though he would be happy to have a new teammate in 2013, he is also happy with Massa.

"I am extremely happy with any teammate I have alongside me. I think we have a very strong team at the moment. In the future, nobody knows," he said.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali told El Pais newspaper: "Felipe knows that we would like him to be closer to Alonso.

"As a team, we have an obligation to offer everything in our power for him to do that. Anyway, don't forget that Alonso is the fastest of all and to reach his performance is not easy," he said in Korea.

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