"Could sense the passion and determination": Sergio Perez opens up on the motivation behind joining Cadillac for 2026

Sergio Perez has opened up on his motivation behind joining Cadillac for 2026 and revealed that after the first few conversations, he was impressed by the outfit's passion and determination. The Mexican was unable to find a place on the 2025 F1 grid, as Red Bull made a call late last season to replace him with Liam Lawson.

Since then, the driver has been sitting on the sidelines, but there have been suggestions for a while that he was in contention for a seat at Cadillac, and the American team was interested in bringing him on board. Not only does Sergio Perez bring a lot of eyeballs because he is from the Americas (Mexico) and has a massive fanbase, but he also has the experience of being a part of the dominant Red Bull squad.

The Mexican has been rumored for a while as one of the drivers, with Valtteri Bottas being the other. With the announcement from Cadillac, it is now official that Sergio Perez will be making a return to the sport with the team.

Talking about his return and what prompted him to join the American squad, Sergio Perez revealed in the team's press release that he was impressed by the passion and motivation with which the outfit was approaching its entry. He said,

“Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career. From our first conversations, I could sense the passion and determination behind this project. It's an honor to be part of building a team that can develop together so that, in time, we will fight at the very front."

He added,

"Cadillac is a legendary name in American motorsport, and to help bring such a fantastic company to Formula 1 is a huge responsibility, one I’m confident of taking on. I’m proud to be part of such an ambitious and meaningful project from the very beginning. I’m really pleased to be part of such a dynamic line-up, and together I believe we can help shape this team into a real contender, the team of the Americas."

Sergio Perez's teammate echoes being impressed by the hunger

Sergio Perez's teammate at Cadillac is going to be Valtteri Bottas, and the Finnish driver echoed the Mexican's sentiments as he admitted that he was impressed by the level of professionalism on display. In the press release where it was announced that the Finn would be teaming up with the Mexican, he said,

"From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded. This isn’t just a racing project; it’s a long-term vision."

He added,

"It's not every day that you get a chance to be part of something being built from the ground up and helping shape it into something that truly belongs on the F1 grid. I’ve had the honor of working with some of the best teams in the world, and I can already see the same professionalism and hunger here.

With Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas at Cadillac, the team has now got hold of two impressive and experienced talents that would help with the early teething issues that a new outfit would face in general.