Sergio Perez says he is returning to Formula 1 out of love for the sport – he doesn’t feel he has anything to prove with his comeback
“For me, it’s more of a comeback to enjoy the sport,” says Sergio Perez himself about his upcoming return to Formula 1. The Mexican, who lost his cockpit at Red Bull after the 2024 season, will be back on the grid with Cadillac in 2026.
“I want to enjoy the sport I love, the sport that has given me so much,” Perez emphasizes, explaining: “I couldn’t afford to quit the way I did, and that’s why I’m coming back with this new project.”
The 35-year-old is referring to his rather undignified Formula 1 departure at the end of 2024. After finishing runner-up in the world championship behind his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen in 2023, nothing went right for him in the second half of the 2024 season in particular.
Perez finished the season in eighth place in the world championship, while Verstappen became world champion again, and his Red Bull contract, which was originally set to run until the end of 2026, was terminated prematurely. “It was very important for me to have this break from the sport,” Perez now says.
Why Perez took a break from Formula 1
He needed this break mainly “because it only became clear towards the end of the year that I would not be continuing with Red Bull.” He explains: “So instead of rushing into something just to stay on the grid, I needed this time to detach myself from the sport and understand what I really want to do next in my career.”
About his one-year break from the premier class, he says: “I learned a lot about myself as a driver. I’ve been in the spotlight my entire career—not just in Formula 1, but since my karting days.“
”Once you take a step back and look at the sport as a fan, you realize that the things that preoccupy race drivers are completely irrelevant to the public and even to those who are knowledgeable about the sport,” Perez said.
“My vision now that I’m returning to the sport is to enjoy it and do my best every time I’m in the car, together with the team. That’s really the only thing that matters. Everything else is external factors,” explains the six-time Grand Prix winner.
In this context, Perez also makes it clear that he is by no means returning to Formula 1 to prove anything to his critics. “I don’t think I have anything to prove,” said the Mexican, who ultimately saw no chance of beating Verstappen at Red Bull.
Perez: New Red Bull drivers have even bigger problems
“Everyone has forgotten that now, but it was a very difficult situation to constantly have to adapt in order to build mental confidence. It’s a very special challenge,” he says of his time at Red Bull, referring to his two successors.
He says that Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda don’t have to prove anything to anyone, “when you see how many points they’ve scored [at Red Bull].” In fact, the second Red Bull car alongside Verstappen scored just seven points by the 2025 summer break.
By comparison, Perez finished his four years with the Bulls with 190, 305, 285, and 152 points. He himself therefore prefers to concentrate fully on his new task. “At the beginning, especially in the first few months, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do next,” Perez reveals.
“The more I talked to the Cadillac team, the clearer it became to me that this is exactly what appeals to me about returning. It’s not just about competing with a normal team to fight for podium places, victories, and points. It’s a whole project. In my opinion, the dynamics are different,” he explains.
With regard to this new project, he naturally hopes “that it will be very successful,” says Perez. “But above all, I want to enjoy this comeback,” he emphasizes once again.