Sergio Pérez has offered a candid assessment of his past tenure at Red Bull Racing, stating he believes he ‘overdelivered’ during his time with the team. His remarks come as he navigates the 2026 Formula 1 season with the new Cadillac F1 Team.
Pérez, who departed Red Bull at the close of the 2024 season, reflected on the challenges of being Max Verstappen’s teammate. He highlighted the team’s operational structure, which he felt was entirely built around the Dutch driver.
The Mexican driver revealed that Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal, explicitly stated the team’s priority. Horner reportedly told Pérez, ‘Everything is for Max, around Max. We want to win the championship.’
Pérez acknowledged he understood this dynamic upon joining Red Bull. He chose to focus on his performance rather than complain about the established environment.
He maintained the same engineering team throughout his four years at Red Bull, a fact he expressed pride in. Pérez believes accepting his role allowed him to remain with the team for an extended period.
Pérez also noted that any upgrades introduced during his Red Bull stint often widened the performance gap to Verstappen. This made challenging for parity difficult.
Currently, Pérez is competing for Cadillac in their inaugural 2026 F1 season alongside Valtteri Bottas. He sits P21 in the Drivers’ Championship with zero points after nine rounds.
Despite Cadillac’s position at the back of the grid, Pérez has expressed satisfaction with his personal performance. He feels he has proven his speed has not diminished.
Red Bull Racing, meanwhile, has faced a challenging start to the 2026 season with their new RB22 car and Red Bull Ford power unit. The team is currently fourth in the constructors’ standings with 57 points.
Max Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar have encountered reliability issues and struggled with the car’s balance. This has led to a difficult campaign for the Milton Keynes outfit.
Pérez’s comments provide insight into the internal dynamics of a top team during a period of dominance. His current efforts with Cadillac mark a new chapter in his Formula 1 career.
