'Fantastic talent' Sergio Perez finds backing from Red Bull engineer for Cadillac F1 comeback

Sergio Perez is set to return to the grid in 2026 with Cadillac as part of F1’s new 11-team lineup. Even after a year away from racing, several senior figures in the paddock believe that the former Red Bull driver still has more to deliver. One of them is Red Bull engineer Paul Monaghan.

As Cadillac enters the F1 paddock with a Ferrari engine and a long-term plan, Perez will take the wheel for the American outfit, following his departure from Red Bull at the end of 2024. The Mexican will partner with Valtteri Bottas in one of the most experienced pairings on the field.

Inside Red Bull, there is still respect for what he achieved. Chief engineer Paul Monaghan reflected on Perez’s final months with the team and the difficulties that arrived late in his stint.

“He finished with us struggling a little bit to keep up with his teammate,” Monaghan told PlanetF1. “Perhaps a year off, a bit of sunshine, reset the brain, and he’ll come back and he’ll be fighting fit and fairly quick, I feel.”

Another familiar voice has been among the first to back him. Aston Martin's sporting director Andy Stevenson, who worked with Perez during the team’s Force India era, made it clear that he wanted to see the Mexican succeed again.

“I’m a huge fan of Checo, and I’d love to see him relaunch his career,” Stevenson added. “He is a fantastic talent, he’s a great race driver, and I think it would be great to see him back on the circuit again. So I’m looking forward to that.”

Sergio Perez’s comeback also brings his Red Bull chapter back into focus. He spent five seasons alongside Max Verstappen and became one of the longest-serving drivers in the second Red Bull seat in the past decade. At that time, eight drivers cycled through the role, and Perez remains the only one to win five races with that car, supporting Verstappen to win four back-to-back titles.

Sergio Perez has been preparing with Cadillac through controlled running and systems work. He completed a private test at Imola, driving a two-year-old Ferrari SF-23 through an arrangement between Cadillac and Ferrari.

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Sergio Perez brings back the No. 11 to Cadillac F1 for 2026

Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will drive for Cadillac F1 in 2026. Source: Getty

Sergio Perez will carry the No. 11 with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team when it joins the grid in 2026. The car will run on Ferrari power, while his teammate Valtteri Bottas lines up with his familiar No. 77. Perez revealed his number choice on Instagram, writing:

“The story continues with #11.”

Cadillac enters as F1’s first new team since 2016. The outfit is building across two bases, Silverstone and Charlotte, and Perez has already been splitting time between both locations. He has been working through simulator programs, technical briefings, and early procedures that shape race execution.

Away from the garage, both drivers are on their off-season break. They are expected to return to structured running before testing resumes next month.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam