Perez says Cadillac return is his F1 redemption

Sergio Perez said his 2026 Formula 1 return with Cadillac is a chance to rebuild after a "toxic" end to his Red Bull stint and prove to himself he still belongs among the grid’s best drivers.

Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Perez said he stepped away from F1 for a year after leaving Red Bull at the end of 2025 because the final six months of his time at Milton Keynes had been mentally draining. The Cadillac opportunity, he said, offered something different: a fresh start inside a major new project.

"When the project with Cadillac came, I thought, ‘This is a massive project; this is a massive brand,’" Perez said. He added that meeting Cadillac figure Dan Towriss convinced him the team had the ambition to match its scale. "I knew this guy is very competitive, and he will do whatever it takes to take it to a very good level."

That made the move more than just a route back onto the grid. Perez said Cadillac "can be my project as well" and framed the comeback as a personal test after his confidence was damaged at Red Bull. "The period at Red Bull takes that confidence from you when you are not delivering and your team-mate is winning," he said. "I always knew what the issues were, but it takes confidence away from you. That's why I wanted to come back."

Perez said that need to restore his self-belief sits at the center of his return. He said he has "always believed" he is "one of the best on the grid," and sees Cadillac as the place to prove it in a new environment rather than remain defined by the way his Red Bull spell ended.

He also made clear that Cadillac is still at an early stage as it builds its F1 operation from the ground up. Perez said the team was still creating "a sort of culture," but he believes its long-term prospects are strengthened by the backing behind it. "You're talking about General Motors and TWG," he said. "There are two great forces that are not going to stop until they get there."