Sergio “Checo” Pérez will return to the grill of the Formula 1 In 2026 as a pilot of the newly created Cadillac F1 team, sources consulted by ESPN. The 35 -year -old Tapatío signed a multiannual contract that ensures at least two seasons within the highest category, where he will share garage with the Finn Valtteri Bottas.
The news represents a new chapter in the trajectory of the Mexican, who debuted in 2011 with Sauber and since then has passed through McLaren, Force India, Racing Point and Red Bull.
In 14 seasons he accumulated 281 large awards, six victories, three pole posations and a runner -up of pilots in 2023, in addition to contributing to the titles of Red Bull builders in 2022 and 2023.
A new start after Red Bull’s departure
The link with Red Bull ended in an abrupt way at the end of 2024. The Austrian team decided to do without Pérez and paid him the remaining two years of contract, arguing difficulties in his role as Max Verstappen partner. However, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda replacements did not achieve better results, which revalued the figure of the Mexican.
After that rupture, Pérez opted for a sabbatical year in 2025. Away from the circuits, he dedicated himself to his family and to enjoy a time that he had not had since his move to Europe at age 14 to pursue the dream of Formula 1. Parallel, next to his new manager, Khalil Beschir, and with the support of Carlos Slim, explored different options to stay in force in the category.
Alpine tried to seduce him with a last minute proposal, but the Cadillac project ended up imposing himself as the strongest alternative. The American team, directed by Graeme Lowden, will debut in 2026 with Ferrari engines while General Motors develops its own power unit, scheduled before the end of the decade.
The agreement also contemplates a media component: the training of the team and its path to the first race in the Australia Grand Prix will be portrayed in a documentary series produced with the participation of actor Keanu Reeves.
For his part, Bottas, who served as a pilot Reserve de Mercedes in 2025, will also have a second chance on the grill. With both at the wheel, Cadillac will seek experience and consistency in its premiere as the eleventh championship team.
In addition to the main base in the United Kingdom, the team will have operations in Indiana and Michigan, reinforcing the American identity of the project. Mario Andretti, world champion in 1978, is part of the Board of Directors, which adds a historical weight to the bet of General Motors.
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