MARCH 31, 2025
Amid sabbatical, F1 doors open for Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez has strongly hinted that he intends to return to Formula 1.
© Red Bull
F1 legend Mario Andretti, an advisor to the all-new Cadillac team for 2026, revealed in the last few days that the ousted Red Bull driver is an option
.
For now, 35-year-old Perez - not only a highly experienced grand prix winner but strongly backed by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's companies - is enjoying his sabbatical.
I have six months,
he told Prodynamics. "I gave myself six months to see what options I have and decide what the next step in my career is.
The doors are open in many places,
Perez added. Today I have the opportunity to decide what I want with my career. What comes next is important, so I want to give myself the time and space to make the best decision.
Despite his recent struggles alongside Max Verstappen, Perez's stock has suddenly risen given that his successor - Liam Lawson - was ousted after just two races, having been the slowest driver overall in Shanghai.
I mean, for certain races last year, Sergio is now looking like a magician,
former F1 driver Mark Webber, who is Chinese GP winner Oscar Piastri's manager, told Formula For Success.
Fox Sports claims negotiations between Cadillac and Perez are already underway
.
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko revealed last Friday that, amid the team's deliberations about whether to axe Lawson, he was in contact with Perez - ostensibly to discuss tequila
.
As for Cadillac, Andretti also admitted that another Mexican - Indycar frontrunner Pato O'Ward - is another option, even though the team may need to fight
to extricate him from his contract with McLaren.
(GMM)