Back in Formula 1 with Cadillac after a year away, Sergio Perez admits to having doubted his choice before his performances reassured him.
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Sergio Pérez did not know exactly what to expect when he decided to return to Formula 1. After a year away from the circuits, the Mexican admits to having had doubts before starting this new adventure with Cadillac.
Dismissed by Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season, Perez spent the entire 2025 year without racing in F1. Cadillac then offered him the opportunity to return as a full-time driver for the American team’s first season, alongside Valtteri Bottas.
After 11 Grands Prix, the results remain modest: Cadillac is the only team not to have scored any points. But for Pérez, the standings do not tell the whole story.
“I had doubts about my return”
In an interview with RacingNews365, Pérez admitted that he questioned his ability to regain his best form after this sabbatical year.
“To be honest, I had doubts about my return to this sport after my year away” confided the 36-year-old driver.
However, these doubts quickly disappeared once he was back behind the wheel.
“But when I came back, I was performing and competing at a very high level. I proved to myself that I am still one of the best. So that gave me a lot of satisfaction, regardless of the car’s competitiveness.”
For Pérez, the essential is therefore not only visible in the standings. The Mexican believes that those who closely observe his performances can gauge the level he shows with a car still far from the front positions.
“People who understand this sport also understand how I perform, and that is the most important.”
A response after a difficult end at Red Bull
This feeling of validation takes on a particular dimension considering how his adventure with Red Bull ended.
Arriving at Milton Keynes in 2021, Pérez had won five Grands Prix with the team and contributed to its two constructors’ titles. But his performances gradually declined, especially during his last season.
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The increasingly difficult behavior of the Red Bull had fueled debates around his struggles. Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, who succeeded him alongside Max Verstappen, also encountered problems exploiting the car.
Pérez now considers that his time at Cadillac puts this period into context.
“People have understood the circumstances I was in before and now they can see my true speed, my true talent” he explained.
“It is a great satisfaction because it shows how hard I worked in the past and everything I had to manage.”
A new challenge with Cadillac
The challenge Pérez faces today is nevertheless very different. At Cadillac, it is not simply about maximizing an existing car, but about participating in building a brand new team.
After 11 races, his best finishing position remains 14th, achieved in Barcelona and Silverstone. The Mexican had however crossed the finish line in tenth place in Monaco before a post-race penalty deprived him of Cadillac’s first point.
Despite these still difficult results, Pérez says he enjoys this new adventure and the freedom he has within the American project.
“I am really happy, to be honest. I am happy, I am enjoying it, but as I say, I want more.”
Because while Pérez considers he has already answered some questions about his level, his ambition is not limited to proving that he still deserves his place in Formula 1.
“I am a racing driver and I am here for performance.”
At 36, the six-time Grand Prix winner therefore believes he has already won a first battle: that of proving, at least to his own eyes, that his difficult end at Red Bull did not define his real level.
He now has to take the next step: help Cadillac progress enough to turn his performances into results.