When Sergio Perez returned to the F1 paddock ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, he spoke with unusual calm about the team he had just joined.
After four demanding years at Red Bull Racing, Perez says his new role at the Cadillac F1 Team feels very different.
The Mexican driver said his ideas and feedback now matter far more to the people building Cadillac’s car. That change, he explained, has helped him enjoy racing again after what he described as a heavy final season at Red Bull.
The Red Bull chapter
Perez joined Red Bull in 2021 after spending a decade with midfield teams such as Sauber, McLaren, and Racing Point. The move placed him in a front-running car for the first time in his career. Over four seasons, he scored three pole positions, 29 podium finishes, and five race wins.
His results also put him closer to teammate Max Verstappen than any Red Bull driver since Daniel Ricciardo.
Yet Perez later described the experience as stressful behind the scenes. Speaking on a podcast with Oswaldo Trava, he said being Verstappen’s teammate was “the worst job there is in F1.” He added that “at Red Bull, everything was a problem,” whether he was quicker or slower than the Dutch driver.
Perez’s time with the team began to unravel in the middle of the dominant 2023 season. His form dipped after a strong start, and the slump carried into 2024. Across the final eight race weekends of that season, he scored only nine points and failed to reach the podium in his last 19 attempts.
When Red Bull lost the Constructors’ Championship to McLaren, the team decided to make a change. Perez left the lineup and spent the entire 2025 season away from the grid.
The break changed his outlook. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Perez said the year off gave him distance from the pressure of racing. He also said his final season at Red Bull placed “a lot of weight” on his shoulders and that he did not enjoy it.
Sergio Perez: “My feedback is much more appreciated”
Perez returned to the paddock this season with a new team and a new role. Cadillac is building its Formula One project from the ground up, which gives experienced drivers more influence on the car’s direction.
Asked by Motorsport.com whether his feedback mattered more now, Perez answered directly.
“Yeah, definitely, I think so,” he said. “I definitely feel that the way the car is being developed, and the way we’re pushing forward in the same direction, obviously helps. And I definitely feel that my feedback is much more appreciated.”
Perez said he feels motivated by the chance to help shape a new team. “For me, it’s just getting back and really enjoying my time with Cadillac,” he said. “Being part of something new gives me that motivation.”
The contrast with Red Bull is clear. That car was built largely around Verstappen’s driving style, leaving little room for the second driver to guide development. Cadillac, by comparison, still shapes its technical structure and design approach.
For Perez, that means his experience now carries weight during discussions about the car.
A tricky debut but a long-term vision
Cadillac’s first Formula 1 race weekend showed how large the challenge remains. In qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, the team’s MAC-26 proved the slowest car on the grid.
Sergio Perez finished 16th in the race, the last driver still running and three laps behind the leaders. His teammate Valtteri Bottas retired early after a fuel system problem.
Perez had warned that the early months would be hard. After testing in Bahrain International Circuit, he said the new team must develop faster than rivals who have decades of experience in the sport.
“From what we’ve seen in Bahrain, I think we have to outdevelop all of the teams that have been in the sport for years. It’s not going to be an easy task for Cadillac, but for us, I think it’s all about the progress we can make from here and getting all of the different departments in place,” the Mexican said.
Cadillac chief executive Dan Towriss praised both drivers for their patience during early testing in Barcelona and Bahrain. He said their feedback helped the team bring its departments together during the opening phase of the project.
The results remain far from the front of the grid. But for Perez, the early weeks already feel different.
After years in a team where even success could create tension, he now works in a garage that asks for his input. The road ahead may be long, but for the first time in years, the Mexican driver says he is enjoying the work again.
