Perez COMEBACK discussed as Leclerc change confirmed during a… read more
Sergio Perez’s Formula 1 career came to an abrupt end in 2024, but even his rapid decline couldn’t have been predicted as early as five races into the season. At that point, Perez had secured four podiums and was still a sensible championship contender, sitting in second place behind Max Verstappen. He had even signed a new deal with Red Bull, and everything seemed settled.
However, by the end of the 2024 season, Perez’s fortunes had changed dramatically. He failed to add a single podium to his tally, and his F1 career was brought to a close by Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, who opted to replace him with Liam Lawson.
Now, Perez is taking some time to relax and focus on his personal projects. He recently celebrated his 35th birthday, which he marked with a low-key celebration with his father and a special guest, Mickey Mouse.
Perez’s father, Antonio, has hinted that his son may be planning a comeback to F1 in 2026, citing the examples of Niki Lauda, Kimi Raikkonen, and Fernando Alonso, who all returned to the sport after taking time out. While it’s unclear whether Perez will follow in their footsteps, it’s clear that he still has a passion for racing.
If Perez does decide to return to F1 in 2026, he’ll have several options to consider. One of the most obvious contenders is Cadillac, which will be entering the sport with a clean slate in 2026. As a new team, Cadillac will likely face some teething issues, and having an experienced driver like Perez on board could be a major asset.
Perez’s wealth of knowledge and experience could be invaluable to a new team like Cadillac, which will be looking to establish itself in the sport. Additionally, Perez has shown in the past that he is still remarkably quick when in form, and could potentially help Cadillac to score some impressive results.
Another option for Perez could be a return to the Red Bull family, although this seems unlikely at present. Perez’s time at Red Bull was marked by some impressive performances, but he ultimately struggled to match the pace of his teammate, Max Verstappen.
However, Perez may still have a future at Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls. If either Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda were to have a poor season, Red Bull may consider bringing Perez back into the fold to plug the gap.
Aston Martin is another team that could potentially be a good fit for Perez. He has a history with the team, having driven for them under their previous guise as Force India and Racing Point. Perez even won his first F1 race with the team in 2020, and could potentially be a good addition to their lineup.
However, there are rumors that Max Verstappen may be considering a move to Aston Martin in the future, which could potentially scupper any plans for Perez to join the team.
Audi is another team that could potentially be an option for Perez, although this seems unlikely at present. Perez did drive for the team under their previous guise as Sauber, but that was over 13 years ago. Audi will be entering the sport in 2026, and it’s unclear whether they would be interested in signing Perez.
Finally, there is the outside chance that Perez could end up at Mercedes. Neither of the team’s current drivers are signed for 2026, and while it’s unlikely that Mercedes would be interested in signing Perez, stranger things have happened in F1.
In conclusion, while Sergio Perez’s F1 career may be on hold for the time being, he still has a number of options to consider if he decides to return to the sport in 2026. From Cadillac to Aston Martin, there are several teams that could potentially be a good fit for Perez, and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this talented driver.
