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Sergio Pérez has launched his 2026 campaign with Cadillac by claiming he feels far more valued and respected at his new team than he did during his final months at Red Bull Racing. After a year-long break from the sport, the Mexican driver says he is focused on reclaiming the joy of racing, drawing parallels to his early karting days.
Escaping the Red Bull "bubble"
Pérez described his final period at Red Bull as difficult on all levels, admitting that he felt a desperate need for a break from the intense pressure and complex internal team dynamics. He noted that many of the issues within the team were not visible to those outside the "bubble" but became painfully clear to him once he stepped away from the spotlight.
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"For me, the main priority now is to enjoy it again, just like in karting," Pérez told media in Australia. "If I can enjoy it, I can also perform at my best. Ultimately, at this point in my career, that's the only thing that really matters. I needed to find that passion again after everything that happened at my previous team."
A simplified approach to F1
Pérez is determined not to get bogged down in the minor technical details and constant media noise that he feels often overcomplicates the sport. He believes that a driver’s best performance comes from focusing on the raw essentials of racing rather than the secondary political and media "bubbles" that surround Formula 1.
"With all the media and everything around it, you sometimes go and think the sport is more important than it actually is," Pérez explained. "Ultimately, it's just like in karting in the past. It's important for a driver, as a person, to be able to perform without focusing too much on all those small details." Now paired with Valtteri Bottas, Pérez is looking to rebuild his reputation and help Cadillac establish a foothold on the grid.
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