From Red Bull Castoff to Cadillac Leader: Sergio Pérez’s Stunning F1 Comeback

In the unforgiving world of Formula 1, careers can turn on a dime. Just one year ago, Sergio “Checo” Pérez was on the receiving end of Red Bull’s ruthless driver policy, shown the door after a difficult 2024 campaign. With his reputation battered and his options gone, it seemed his F1 journey had reached an unceremonious end.

Now, in a twist worthy of motorsport folklore, the Mexican driver is poised to return to the grid in 2026 with Cadillac’s brand-new Formula 1 team — a move that could rewrite his legacy and prove to be one of the most intriguing redemption stories in modern F1 history.

The Red Bull Chapter Closes

Pérez joined Red Bull in 2021, tasked with the unenviable job of supporting Max Verstappen in the team’s title fight against Mercedes. Initially, he delivered — winning races, disrupting Mercedes’ strategy, and playing the perfect wingman.

But 2024 was the year it all went wrong. While Verstappen’s dominance in the RB20 remained unquestioned, Pérez’s performance nosedived. He scored just over a third of Verstappen’s points total, slipping from a consistent podium threat to struggling in the midfield. The disparity was stark, and in a team where success is measured in tenths of a second, patience wore thin.

By mid-season, whispers about his future grew louder. By the conclusion of the year, Red Bull confirmed Pérez would be released. The decision came late enough that almost every 2025 seat was already spoken for. Overnight, one of the sport’s most experienced drivers found himself without a home.

A Year in the Wilderness

Pérez’s abrupt exit might have been career-ending, but the 35-year-old refused to see it that way. Publicly, he spoke of taking time to be with his family, recharge, and consider his next steps. Privately, he and his camp began strategizing for a return — but only on the right terms.

Ironically, Red Bull’s choice to replace him backfired in unexpected fashion. Both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, given the opportunity to fill the second seat, struggled to adapt to the same car that had exposed Pérez’s weaknesses. The result? Pérez’s stock began to quietly rise again, reframing his underperformance not as a lack of ability but as a symptom of a car that simply didn’t suit multiple drivers.

Even Verstappen himself offered words of support:

“Checo has always been very strong. Of course, he had some difficult moments with us, but as long as he has the motivation to race, he is a very good choice — especially for a new team.”

Cadillac Enters the Picture

Enter Cadillac — the ambitious American manufacturer preparing to make its Formula 1 debut in 2026. Backed by General Motors and led by former Manor Marussia CEO Graeme Lowdon, the project has attracted global attention.

For their inaugural campaign, Cadillac needed a driver with a rare blend of experience, technical understanding, and marketability. Pérez ticked every box:

Veteran Racecraft: Over a decade of F1 experience, including race wins and consistent points finishes with Force India and Racing Point.

Technical Input: Proven ability to work closely with engineers to develop a car’s performance.

Commercial Appeal: Massive fan base in Mexico and across Latin America, plus long-standing sponsorship relationships with brands like Telcel and Claro.

Multiple sources confirmed that Cadillac and Pérez have reached an agreement, with an official announcement expected during the 2025 Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza.

A Perfect Match

For Pérez, joining Cadillac is more than a career lifeline — it’s an opportunity to reinvent himself. Instead of being cast as a supporting act in a title-winning team, he will step into a leadership role at a new outfit. He’ll be the driver to set the tone, guide car development, and mentor a younger teammate.

For Cadillac, the signing brings instant credibility. Launching an F1 team from scratch is an enormous challenge; having a proven race winner in one cockpit provides stability and a benchmark for performance. It’s a partnership of mutual benefit: Pérez gets a fresh chapter, Cadillac gets a leader who’s been through the highs and lows of the sport.

The Supporting Cast

While Pérez’s seat appears locked in, Cadillac’s second driver remains an open question. Lowdon has hinted that the team is weighing the value of pairing Pérez’s experience with the hunger of a rookie.

Names in contention include:

Felipe Drugovich – Aston Martin reserve driver and 2022 Formula 2 champion, praised for his simulator work and setup input.

Jack Crawford – Highly rated American F2 driver with Red Bull academy ties.

Alex Dunne – A rising talent making waves in the junior categories.

Selecting a younger driver would allow Cadillac to balance immediate competitiveness with long-term growth potential.

A Family That Never Lost Faith

Behind the scenes, Pérez’s family remained steadfast in their belief that he would return. His father, Antonio Pérez Garibay, was particularly vocal, declaring earlier this year:

“The best version of Checo Pérez is yet to come. Everybody is going to be very happy and proud… What is coming will be historic.”

That optimism appears to have been well-placed. Far from disappearing quietly, Pérez used his time away from the grid to recharge mentally, maintain fitness, and stay connected with key figures in the paddock.

The Bigger Picture for F1

Cadillac’s entry into Formula 1 represents more than just a new name on the grid — it’s the sport’s first American manufacturer team in decades, arriving at a time when F1’s popularity in the United States is skyrocketing.

Adding an 11th team expands opportunities for drivers, engineers, and mechanics alike, while Pérez’s presence will open doors to the lucrative Mexican and Latin American markets. With the Las Vegas Grand Prix now a fixture and races in Miami and Austin drawing huge crowds, the U.S. focus is clear. Pairing an American brand with a Mexican star could prove commercially explosive.

From Red Bull Reject to Cadillac Cornerstone

In many ways, Pérez’s story embodies one of sport’s most enduring truths: sometimes a step back is the setup for a bigger leap forward. Being cut from Red Bull may have been a professional low, but it forced him to rethink his career trajectory, freeing him from the relentless pressure of fighting for titles alongside Verstappen.

With Cadillac, he can be the team leader, the development driver, and the public face of a bold new project. Instead of being remembered as the man who couldn’t keep up with Verstappen, he could go down in history as the driver who led America’s newest F1 team into a new era.

Looking Ahead to 2026

The road to 2026 will be filled with challenges. Cadillac will be building everything from scratch — facilities, technical teams, and a brand-new chassis and power unit in partnership with General Motors. Pérez’s role in that process will begin long before he turns a wheel in competition.

The Mexican’s year off in 2025 will be anything but idle. Expect extensive simulator work, involvement in early testing programs, and deep collaboration with engineers to ensure Cadillac’s debut car is competitive from the start.

Why This Could Be Pérez’s Finest Hour

For a driver often underestimated despite his achievements, leading Cadillac’s entry might be the perfect stage to show his true worth. There will be no direct comparison to Verstappen, no questions about whether he’s “good enough” for a title fight — only the task of building something new.

If successful, Pérez won’t just add wins or podiums to his record — he’ll cement his legacy as a foundational figure in one of the sport’s most ambitious expansions.

Conclusion

Six months after he hinted at making a decision about his future, Sergio Pérez has found his answer — and it’s one few could have predicted when he left Red Bull. His journey from 2024 disappointment to 2026 Cadillac leader is proof that Formula 1 careers can be reborn under the right circumstances.

The story is still unfolding, but one thing is certain: the driver many thought was finished is about to write a bold new chapter, and the motorsport world will be watching closely.

In a sport that moves at 300 km/h, redemption can arrive just as quickly. For Checo Pérez, the next lap of his career might be the most important — and the most satisfying — of them all.