Sergio Pérez Claims Red Bull Regrets Dropping Him

• Pérez says Red Bull “very sorry” for ending his contract, citing internal pressure and key staff departures.
• He’s eyeing a 2026 F1 return — but only for the right project, not as a reserve.
• Christian Horner insists Red Bull “tried everything” to support the Mexican veteran.

Sergio Pérez has spoken candidly for the first time about his departure from Red Bull Racing, claiming the team now regrets cutting ties with him. The Mexican veteran, who competed in Formula 1 from 2011 to 2024 and spent four seasons with Red Bull, made the remarks during an interview on the Desde el Paddock podcast.

“Deep down, they are very sorry [for cutting his contract] and I know this from a very good source,” Pérez said when asked if Red Bull owed him an apology.

Red Bull had named Liam Lawson as Pérez’s replacement for 2025, but after just two races, the New Zealander was dropped. Yuki Tsunoda, from the Red Bull junior team Racing Bulls, was promoted to the main seat in his place.

Pérez, now 35, reflected on the breakdown within Red Bull, suggesting it began with the departure of key figures like legendary designer Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, now at Sauber. “Many more problems began, then Jonathan Wheatley left, who was a fundamental part of the team,” Pérez explained. “Gradually, [the team] fell apart.”

He said the situation deteriorated due to pressure originating from inside the team: “There was a lot of pressure on my side of the garage … it was putting a lot of pressure on the engineers, on everyone involved, and I think in the end that ended up costing us a lot.”

While some fans may assume Pérez felt vindicated by Red Bull’s internal struggles, he dismissed that idea. “People might think I’m happy about it, but no … we had a great team, and in the end it fell apart, little by little.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner had previously addressed Pérez’s departure in December, saying: “We’ve tried everything with him and supporting him and basically he has come to his own conclusion that I think that now is the right time to step away from Formula 1 to take a bit of time out.”

Despite the split, Pérez remains intent on returning to Formula 1 — but only under the right circumstances. He’s assembled a new management team, led by long-time friend and former Lebanese driver Khalil Beschir, alongside Luis Aguirre and Pérez himself.

“Yes, I do [want to return], if the right project comes along that I feel is where I should be,” he said. However, he made it clear that he has no interest in coming back as a reserve. “I want to go back because I don’t want to end my career like this. I’ll go back if it’s worth paying the price to be in F1.”

He hasn’t revealed which team he’s in talks with, but hinted at a long-term project: “I’m in no rush, we’ll see what happens next year,” he said, adding that he hopes to build something similar to his days at Force India — a team that gradually developed into a contender.