Will we see Sergio Pérez return to Formula 1? The Mexican has been on Cadillac’s candidate list for some time, with the team set to join the grid as the eleventh team in 2026. Jonathan Wheatley, former sporting director at Red Bull, has already expressed his support for a Formula 1 comeback by Pérez. According to the Brit, the Mexican is ‘more than capable’ of quickly adapting and getting to work with a new team.
Sergio Pérez had to make way for Liam Lawson at Red Bull in December 2024. The Mexican was replaced after a season full of disappointing results by the New Zealander. Lawson, in turn, was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda after two races at Red Bull. Pérez has since taken a short break from Formula 1, but Jonathan Wheatley, former sporting director at Red Bull, believes that the Mexican can easily step back into the premier class.”I believe he is more than capable of bouncing back and quickly getting back to work in a new team,” Wheatley tells Formula.Hu. The Brit, now team boss at Sauber, saw how Pérez was in ‘one of the toughest seats in Formula 1’ last season as Max Verstappen‘s teammate. “I think looking back, he struggled a bit more with the car than Max did.”
Cadillac
“I was always amazed at how Checo could rebuild himself and come back stronger from every setback,” Wheatley continues. “He seems to have an incredible ability to rebuild.” Pérez is being linked with the Cadillac team, which is making its debut in 2026. Reportedly, the eleventh team is holding a meeting about their line-up for next year during the race weekend in Miami. Pérez is on the shortlist for the American team.
Meanwhile, Wheatley’s confidence in the Mexican extends to his technical expertise. This could be a crucial asset for the Cadillac team. “Checo understands these things very well. I always found his explanation to the engineers about how the car behaved to be very clear,” says Wheatley. “Checo is very professional, very talented, and of course a very fast driver who is a pleasure to work with.”
