Sergio Perez has discussed his return to Formula 1 with Cadillac in 2026 during an appearance on the High Performance podcast. The driver described his desire to rebuild confidence after a difficult period at Red Bull.
Perez said his move was driven by a wish to prove he remains one of the best drivers on the grid. He noted that the final six months at Red Bull had been mentally taxing and described the environment as toxic.
The Mexican driver recounted a conversation with former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner upon joining in 2021. Horner told him the team ran a second car only because it had to and would have preferred to race with one car focused on Max Verstappen.
Perez left Red Bull at the end of 2024 and took a year away from racing before joining the new Cadillac team. He said the project with owners General Motors and TWG offered a chance to help build something from the ground up.
At the time of the recording, Cadillac had completed six races of the 2026 season. Perez expressed confidence in the team's long-term direction despite early challenges.