Back with Cadillac? Sergio Pérez hints at a return to F1
- Annalise Huang
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Written by Annalise Huang, Edited by Rohan Brown
Sergio Pérez departed from Formula One at the end of 2024, following an extremely difficult season with Red Bull. Though his contract with the team originally extended to the end of 2026, a sprawling 285 points gap between Pérez and his teammate Max Verstappen made it clear the partnership was no longer working.
Following the end of the 2024 season, Red Bull announced Liam Lawson would be replacing Pérez in 2025, effectively terminating his contract. Left without an F1 seat, Pérez has spent his first significant career break since his karting days, twenty years ago, in Mexico with his wife and four children.
However, Pérez isn’t satisfied with a full retirement. He has expressed interest in joining a project that: “motivates me fully to come back, where the team believes in me and where they appreciate my career, my experience and everything I can bring to a team.”
This new project could very well be in 2026 with Cadillac, who sources report Pérez is currently in conversation with. Cadillac was announced as the 11th F1 team to be joining the grid in 2026.
Currently exploring their driver options for their first season, the team has expressed interest in signing at least one American driver. However, with two available seats, the team has made it clear that Pérez is high on their list of potential drivers.
The introduction of a brand new team is clearly enticing for Pérez. Led by team principal Graeme Lowdon, a veteran Formula 1 team executive, the American team is an exciting prospect for fans and potential drivers alike.
Not only is Cadillac attractive for Pérez, but the Mexican is also appealing for the emerging team. Despite his challenging departure in 2024, the first races of the 2025 season have shed light on the reality of Pérez’s struggles with Red Bull.
Pérez’s replacement was dropped after a mere two races. Following a DNF and P15 finish in the respective first two races, Lawson’s seat was taken by longtime Racing Bulls driver and former teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
Pérez expressed in an interview with F1: “Especially last year, I didn’t get to show what I’m able to do as a driver. Now, all of a sudden, people realise how difficult the car is to drive," and further commented that: “When I joined Red Bull, there had been great drivers who had struggled – Alex [Albon], Pierre [Gasly], they are fantastic drivers and they struggled.”
Indeed, Pérez’s 2024 season was characterised by major criticism from fans and team management alike for his subpar performance. Tsunoda will be the seventh driver to dare and claim a seat beside Verstappen, who continues to perform well in the volatile Red Bull car.
Seeing yet another driver struggle in Red Bull’s notorious second seat, it’s becoming increasingly evident that Pérez’s 2024 struggles are not necessarily telling of his abilities as a driver.
His final season left a sour ending note on an otherwise highly successful career. Making his F1 debut with Sauber in 2011, Pérez boasts six career race wins. He also played a critical role in Red Bull’s two consecutive Constructors’ Championship victories, in 2022 and 2023.
Whether or not Pérez joins Cadillac for 2026 is still uncertain. The Mexican driver has expressed contentment with his break from F1, and asserted that any future projects must be motivating enough for him to rejoin the sport. Perhaps a future with the Cadillac F1 team will meet this criteria.
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