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Sergio Pérez has claimed his performances at Cadillac are finally revealing his true level as a Formula 1 driver, suggesting he was never able to demonstrate his full potential during four years alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull. The Mexican, who joined the American manufacturer for 2025 after being dropped by the Milton Keynes team, says the paddock is only now recognising his capabilities following his fresh start.
Pérez endured a turbulent final season at Red Bull in 2024, struggling for form while Verstappen secured a fourth consecutive world title. Red Bull ultimately lost the constructors' championship to McLaren, and team management opted to replace Pérez for 2025. The 35-year-old's career appeared in jeopardy before Cadillac offered him a lifeline to continue racing.
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Vindication at Cadillac
"Through what I'm showing now at Cadillac, people are finally realising what kind of driver I am," Pérez told Mundo Deportivo. "At Red Bull, I was never fully able to show what I was capable of. That's something I especially wanted to prove to myself."
The comments represent a pointed criticism of his former employer, where Pérez won five Grands Prix but faced constant scrutiny over the performance gap to Verstappen. While he played a crucial supporting role in Verstappen's title campaigns, delivering key results when the team needed them, the comparison to one of the sport's generational talents proved damaging to his reputation.
Pérez insists his return to the grid is about more than just results. He wants to demonstrate he can still compete at the highest level and possess greater ability than many observers credited him with during his difficult spells at Red Bull.
Limited time remaining
Despite his renewed motivation, Pérez has set a clear timeline for the end of his Formula 1 career. The Mexican admits he returned to settle unfinished business but is already looking beyond the sport.
"I don't see myself continuing in Formula 1 for another eight years," Pérez explained. "I came back because there were things I still wanted to complete, but I also want to focus on other challenges outside the sport."
The statement suggests Pérez views his Cadillac stint as a final chapter rather than a long-term project. For now, his focus remains on erasing the doubts that accumulated during his Red Bull tenure, particularly the difficult 2024 season that ended with his exit.
Red Bull years defined by survival and collapse
Pérez arrived at Red Bull in 2021 as Alexander Albon's replacement and immediately contributed to the team's championship fight. He won in Azerbaijan during a turbulent first season and played a pivotal role in Abu Dhabi, holding Lewis Hamilton behind him while Verstappen closed the gap that set up the controversial final-lap title decider under Michael Masi's safety car deployment.
Over four seasons, Pérez collected five race wins but never mounted a sustained title challenge of his own. His best constructors' contribution came in 2022 and 2023 when Red Bull dominated, but by 2024 the performance deficit had grown untenable. Team principal Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko ultimately decided a change was necessary, clearing the way for Pérez's departure and his unexpected second act at Cadillac.
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