“He’s good enough”: Sergio Perez’s F1 comeback case backed by former boss

Sergio Perez's next Formula 1 team remains one of the key talking points heading into the 2026 driver market. After being dropped by Red Bull Racing at the end of 2024, fresh hope has emerged in the form of an endorsement by former Force India boss Otmar Szafnauer.

With Cadillac preparing to enter the sport next year and Alpine evaluating its driver lineup, Perez's name is doing the rounds again. In an interview with Formula.hu, Szafnauer backed the Mexican, whose experience could see him return to the grid in 2026.

"Should Checo be back? He's good enough, yes... I think for a guy like Checo, with all that experience behind him, it's not that hard to make a comeback, not that hard at all."

Szafnauer has closely worked with Sergio Perez for six seasons at Force India and eventually, the rebranded Racing Point. During that time, he consistently punched above his weight in the midfield, scoring multiple podiums. It was under Szafnauer's guidance that the Mexican got his first Grand Prix in 2020, which earned him a seat at Red Bull Racing for 2021.

Red Bull allowed Perez to compete at the front of the grid. For four consecutive seasons, he played a crucial support role to Max Verstappen while also securing victories of his own in Baku, Monaco, and Singapore. But after finishing eighth in 2024, he parted ways with Red Bull Racing. With Verstappen dominating the sport, Perez's shortcomings were seen in relative terms.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez during the F1 Qatar GP's drivers parade. Source: Getty

However, Szafnauer argues that Perez's attributes, particularly tire conservation and race intelligence, remain intact.

"When he drove for me, he had all the fighting spirit, the qualities, the skills. I think he had that at the beginning of Red Bull as well. Towards the end, maybe he took his eye off the ball a little bit, but let's not forget that he was up against Max... He's a great racer, he rarely makes mistakes, and he's great on the tyre management. Those are his strengths," he added.

Perez still holds considerable value, both in terms of experience and sponsorship backing that he has received from billionaire Carlos Slim. In addition, his ability to mentor young teammates and contribute to car development makes Perez arguably the best choice for Cadillac.

Cadillac may rope in Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as the F1 2026 grid takes shape | Report

(L-R) Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Daniel Ricciardo, and Pierre Gasly during F1 Testing at Bahrain. Source: Getty

General Motors-backed Cadillac F1 will debut as the 11th team on the grid in 2026 after receiving FIA and FOM approval earlier this year. The team operated in partnership with Andretti Global and managed by Graeme Lowdon is already positioning itself as an all-American entrant, based primarily out of Fishers, Indiana, with a technical base in Silverstone.

Financially supported by TWG Global (Guggenheim Partners' investment arm), Cadillac has made no secret of its interest in pairing an experienced campaigner with a younger talent, preferably American. According to F1 journalist Lawrence Barretto, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are the top names in contention for the senior seat.

"My sources tell me the Mexican has spoken to multiple teams, including Cadillac and Alpine... Sources say Bottas and his management have held talks with Cadillac about a seat for next year," Barretto wrote via F1 as reported by Crash.net

Bottas may join the American team, having known Lowdon since his days at Sauber. He is also a strong contender because Cadillac will use Ferrari engines, something Bottas has experience with.

Graeme Lowdon, Cadillac Formula 1 Team Principal, visits the Scuderia Ferrari hospitality before the Miami GP. Source: Getty

Alpine, meanwhile, could be another destination. The Enstone-based team has shown internal volatility, having recently replaced Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto under the return of Flavio Briatore. With Pierre Gasly in one seat and Colapinto guaranteed five races, Perez's name is now in contention there as well.

As the 2026 grid takes shape with sweeping regulation changes and two new manufacturers (Cadillac and Audi), the F1 driver market is set for a major reshuffle. And Sergio Perez may script a return to Formula 1.