Sergio Perez's comeback case made by the former Red Bull chief

Sergio Perez's Formula 1 career may be on pause, but it's far from over, according to Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley. The ex-sporting director at Red Bull Racing has come out in support of the Mexican veteran's potential return to F1.

Perez, who turns 36 next year, has reportedly been assessing his options after Red Bull terminated his contract two years early. His 2024 campaign ended winless and under intense scrutiny. But Wheatley believes Checo's raw speed and leadership haven't faded.

Sergio Perez joined Red Bull in 2021 and spent four seasons, witnessing Max Verstappen dominating the headlines. Though his time in Milton Keynes ended with disappointment, Wheatley, who worked closely with Perez during that stretch, endorsed the six-time Grand Prix winner for a return. When asked about Perez's possible return to the F1 grid next season, Wheatley told F1.com:

"I've no doubt about his pace and his speed. It's been natural since the beginning. He put in some tremendous drives at my former team and I don't think it's much of a barrier that he's had a bit of time off between driving a Formula 1 car because when you know how to do that, you know how to do it."

Wheatley also stressed that Sergio Perez brought a work ethic and mentality to Red Bull that lifted the garage.

"I spent a lot of time with him early on because I wanted to get to know him and I wanted him to adjust to the team. What I really liked was he pushed me in my sporting role... He made me question whether I was putting every bit of effort in, not that he was criticizing but he'd challenge you in a positive way and I enjoyed it," he added.

Max Verstappen has had six teammates since joining Red Bull's senior team. Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Pérez, Liam Lawson, and now Yuki Tsunoda have all struggled to match the Dutchman's incredible run with the Austrian team.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez before the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar. Source: Getty

As for Sergio Perez, he helped Red Bull secure two Constructors' Championships and was runner-up in 2023. That's a resume most midfield teams would welcome going into the 2026 season. Wheatley's remarks arrive amid reports linking Perez with Cadillac’s 2026 debut project.

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"There was a lot of pressure on my side of the garage": Sergio Perez reflects on final year at Red Bull

Sergio Perez before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit. Source: Getty

While James Wheatley's praise reflects his early days at Red Bull, Sergio Perez's previous comments paint a bleaker picture of how things unraveled. Speaking on the Desde el Paddock podcast last month, Perez talked about a high-pressure environment for his engineers.

"When I signed the contract in Monaco, starting with the next race, everyone was already talking about my future. It would have been easy for the team to protect me and say, ' You know what, we've a driver signed for the next two years.' But that wasn't the case... So in the end, there was a lot of pressure on my side of the garage because that pressure reached the engineers," Perez recalled. (37:52 onwards)

Red Bull's 2024 season ended with Max Verstappen clinching his fourth straight title, but Checo fell to eighth in the drivers' standings, leading to his exit. Yet, Red Bull's post-Perez era is hardly better. Liam Lawson failed to score in his first two races before being benched, and Yuki Tsunoda has managed only seven points across ten events.

Cadillac is expected to finalize its 2026 driver lineup by the end of the summer, and alongside Valtteri Bottas, Perez is among the frontrunners. His former Force India boss, Otmar Szafnauer, also backed him to make a return next season.