Sergio Perez says the struggle experienced by the second driver at the Red Bull Show has nothing to prove he’s returned to Formula 1 with the Cadillac.
Cadillac announced it That first driver lineup consists of Perez and Valteri Bottas Joining the grid in 2026 brought together two drivers to begin 16 wins and 527 races. Bottas is staying with Mercedes as a spare driver this year, but Perez returned after being dropped to Red Bull late last season. Meanwhile, the two drivers following him (Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda) are also struggling.
“I feel there’s nothing to prove, not just the driver I’m in my seat, but even before that,” Perez said. “Everyone forgets that now, but it was a very tricky place to constantly adapt and constantly adapt to build mental confidence.
“It’s a very unique challenge. And I don’t think there’s anything to prove. If you look at the amount of points they scored, it’s like five points throughout the season, so I don’t think there’s anything to prove in that respect.
“For me… I’m coming back to enjoy sports. I want to enjoy sports, the sports I love, the sports that gave me so much. I couldn’t afford to leave the way I left sports. This is why I’m back on this new project.
Perez has not been involved in Formula 1 this season and says he needed a break to help him discover what would tempt him to come back, citing the unique challenges of Cadillac’s new entry as particularly motivating.
“For me, taking this time off of the sport was extremely important, especially since it became clear that we would continue with Red Bull towards the end of the year, so we needed that time rather than jumping into something just to stay on the grid.
“In the beginning, especially in the first few months, what I wanted to do next was not very clear. The more I talked to the Cadillac team, the more it became clear that this would make me excited to come back. It became clear that it was the project itself.
“And I realized I enjoyed my workout! I always thought I hated it. But this time I realized I really enjoyed my workout, so I had the same fit (shape).
“And obviously next year, with as many tests as we have, it’s going to erase that dust very quickly. We know what Formula 1 is and are ready to stream after the first race.”
