Sergio Perez takes satisfaction from his time at Red Bull and hopes that Cadillac and the new F1 rules from 2026 will make him stronger again
Sergio Perez looks back with satisfaction on his four years at Red Bull. The Mexican was Max Verstappen’s teammate from 2021 to 2024—a period that saw him regularly on the podium, but also brought numerous setbacks. His form slumped particularly in 2024, with the Red Bull car becoming less and less suited to his driving style.
“It’s just the whole dynamic in this team,” Perez told Sky. “They have a unique talent in Max. It’s extremely difficult for the second driver to adapt to the car. It’s a very special car, a very special driving style. I managed to survive for many years – but it’s difficult.”
Perez also refers to his predecessors Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon, who struggled similarly, as well as the current season: “I think Yuki [Tsunoda] and Liam [Lawson] have scored five points or so [actually seven]. They are fantastic drivers—but it’s just the way you have to drive this car.”
Perez: Sometimes it was simply undriveable
The problem: as soon as external factors such as rain or wind came into play, the Red Bull became almost uncontrollable for Perez. “Sometimes I could deal with it, adapt. But as soon as there were variables, it became undriveable. Then mistakes happen, one after the other, and you lose confidence.“
Nevertheless, he said he was proud to have persevered for so long: ”Mentally, I was extremely strong, which is why I survived for so long—even though I was under enormous pressure and many of you [journalists] were constantly on my case. Now you understand what I did in that car and in that team.”
After leaving Red Bull, Perez didn’t remain without prospects for long. Back in December 2024, when it became clear that he had no future with the Bulls, Cadillac contacted him. The US team is entering Formula 1 in 2026 and has secured both Valtteri Bottas and Perez as drivers. “It was clear pretty early on,” confirms the Mexican. “When Red Bull decided that it wasn’t going to work out, Cadillac approached me.”
Perez: New rules should suit me
One big question mark remains: Can the 35-year-old pick up where he left off after a break and with completely new rules? Perez sees himself at an advantage—thanks in part to the assessments of technical veteran Pat Symonds, who supports Cadillac as a consultant. Symonds expects the 2026 rules to be closer to the 2021 generation than to the current ground-effect cars – a circumstance that should help Perez.
“These cars are difficult right now,” says Perez. “You saw that with Lewis: he did a great job at Mercedes when they weren’t competitive. But changing teams at the end of an era and adapting to new cars was also difficult for him. But he’s a fantastic driver, and he’ll make it.“
Perez himself is confident: ”I’ve performed well in previous eras, so I expect the new rules to suit me. I feel ready.”
