Dark horse team emerges as Sergio Perez's next possible destination amidst recent discussions: Reports

Amid Sergio Perez's reported talks with the Cadillac F1 Team, the Mexican driver is now linked with Alpine for the upcoming season. According to recent reports, Perez, the former Red Bull star, is in talks with several teams, including Alpine, over his F1 future.

The Guadalajara man debuted in F1 in 2011 with Sauber, and went on to race for multiple teams before joining Red Bull in 2021. He raced for the Christian Horner-led team for four years and claimed five wins, podiums, and helped the Austrian team win two Constructors' Championships.

While the first three years (2021, 2022, and 2023) were decent for the Mexican, the last year (2024) was underwhelming. He not only failed to win a race, but also failed to help Red Bull fight for the championship against McLaren and Ferrari. As a result, by the end of the year, Red Bull sacked Perez in favor of Liam Lawson.

In 2025, Perez had to stay out of the sport as all 20 seats were filled, but in 2026, with the emergence of a new team and two new seats (Cadillac), he was instilled with hope. While there were reports that linked Perez with the American team, fresh reports suggest that he is also in talks with multiple teams, including Alpine.

According to a report by The Race, Carlos Slim Domit is still willing to support and sponsor the Mexican driver. Therefore, it is understood that Perez's camp has contacted Alpine and its advisor, Flavio Briatore, about a potential opportunity in the upcoming seasons amid the internal instability of Alpine.

Alpine, the French team, is currently in a dilemma with its drivers as they demoted Jack Doohan after six races to put Franco Colapinto. However, not for the rest of the season, but only for the next five races. Amid the instability within the team, reports linked Perez's name with the dark horse team.

Although Sergio Perez saw his downside with Red Bull, one cannot deny that he is one of the most experienced F1 drivers in the current scenario. On top of that, his immense popularity in the American continents could also be a boost for the team in terms of business.

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Sergio Perez on talks with few F1 teams: "There are a few very interesting projects"

Sergio Perez has been in talks with a few teams over the last few months to figure out a comeback to Formula 1, the most premium form of Motorsport. Speaking about this, here's what he said:

Sergio Perez of Mexico driver of Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula One Team on track in action with the RB20 at the F1 Grand Prix Of Abu Dhabi - Source: Getty

“If I find a project that motivates me fully to come back, where the team believe in me and where they appreciate my career, my experience and everything I can bring to a team, it would be very attractive to consider it,” he said.

"That’s why I’ve given myself at least six months to get all my options on the table and make a decision on what I do next with my career. There are a few very interesting projects out there. I’ve been approached by a few teams since Abu Dhabi. Right now, the season has started, so a few things will open up in the coming months," he further added.

Sergio Perez has 285 race entries to his name, where he won six races, claimed 39 podiums, and took three pole positions, across 14 F1 seasons.