Sergio Perez takes a savage dig at F1 media for targeting him during his Red Bull run: "A lot of you journalists were onto me"

Sergio Perez criticized the F1 media for placing excessive pressure on him and failing to comprehend his circumstances at Red Bull. The Mexican was announced as one of the drivers at Cadillac for 2026, and he would be racing alongside Valtteri Bottas.

The driver made his first appearance in front of the F1 media after he was unceremoniously shown the door by Red Bull at the end of last season. With his exit, a partnership that lasted 4 years between Sergio Perez and the team ended, during which the Mexican was almost always under the glaring eye of the media for his performance levels.

It is only since his departure that it has become clear that the Red Bull was tailored in a very unique manner for Max Verstappen, which made it very difficult for everyone else to work with.

After Sergio Perez was fired, he was replaced at the team by Liam Lawson and subsequently Yuki Tsunoda, and neither of them has been able to make a mark.

Talking to Sky Sports about his stint at Red Bull, Sergio Perez made it a point to mention how the media was after him without knowing the entire situation within the team. He said,

"Sometimes I could cope with it, I could adapt to it, but as soon as there was a variable with the rain, with the wind or something, it just became undriveable."

He added,

“And then you start making mistakes one after the other, you are losing confidence – but mentally I was super strong and that's why I survived there for so long, because I did have a lot of pressure and a lot of you guys [journalists] were onto me. And now you realise the job I've done in that car and that team.”

Sergio Perez expands on the dynamics at Red Bull

Sergio Perez expanded on the dynamics at Red Bull as well, where he talked about how it was very tough for the second driver to adapt. The Mexican opened up on how, with the team having a talent like Max Verstappen on one side, it was a very unique and challenging environment. He said,

"It's just the whole dynamics of the team. Obviously, they have a unique talent over there with Max. It's very difficult for the second driver that is there to basically adapt to the car."

He added,

“It's a very unique car, very unique driving style that I managed, I'd say, to survive for many years. But it's difficult and it's the way it works, you know, and you've seen it with great drivers just before my time or even after my time."

Perez has now moved to Cadillac, a team that is at the very beginning of its journey, and hence, there would be a lot of questions on how the first season goes. It would be interesting to see what is in store for the driver as he gets ready for a completely new journey.