Sergio Perez Convinced He’s “One of the Top drivers”

Sergio Perez believes his Formula 1 comeback with Cadillac has already achieved one of its primary goals: proving to himself that he still belongs among the sport’s elite drivers.

After a difficult end to his Red Bull career in 2024, Perez returned to the grid with Formula 1’s newest team amid questions about whether he could rediscover the form that once made him one of the paddock’s most respected racers. While Cadillac remains rooted near the back of the field and yet to score a point, Perez’s performances have quietly begun to rebuild his reputation.

More importantly, they have restored his confidence.

Overcoming Doubts

“I have to be realistic, and honest, I had doubts on coming back,” Perez admitted.

“The main reason was my family. I felt like I’ve had a great career. I knew my circumstances. I gave it everything and I was very happy with the career I’ve had.

“I’m in a very fortunate spot in my career because I didn’t need to be back in F1.”

Despite that, Perez felt he had unfinished business.

“But I felt like at the same time I didn’t want to leave the sport the way I left it. Because I believe myself that I’m one of the top drivers here.

“And coming back makes me realise that I’m one of the top drivers.”

Successful Return?

The 36-year-old has looked far more like the driver who won races and helped Red Bull secure championships than the one who struggled during his final months alongside Max Verstappen. Away from the intense spotlight that came with being Verstappen’s teammate, Perez appears rejuvenated, motivated and fully invested in Cadillac’s ambitious long-term project.

His performances have reflected that. Perez has consistently held the upper hand over teammate Valtteri Bottas and has emerged as the team’s early benchmark, despite the challenges that come with building an entirely new Formula 1 operation from scratch.

“People that understand the sport, they can easily see the level that I’m driving at, the pace I’m having and the performance I’m having,” Perez said.

“More than proving to everyone else, it’s about proving it to myself again.”

He added: “The last six months at Red Bull were very tricky. And there were some circumstances that I had there that prevented me from performing the way I should have been performing.

“I’m very happy that I came back to prove it to myself. And that was the main thing.”

Was it Always Red Bull?

Recent struggles experienced by Red Bull’s second drivers since Perez’s departure have also helped put his final season with the team into perspective. While Perez acknowledges he did not perform at the level expected, he believes the circumstances surrounding that period should not define his legacy.

“That whole insight made me feel like, ‘yes, I was right’ and the last six months doesn’t mark my career,” Perez explained.

“I was in very difficult circumstances. Now it’s clear to everyone.

“But the biggest thing is that it’s clear for me that I belong at the top of the sport. That to me was the main thing of coming back.”

However, Perez’s return is about more than simply repairing his reputation. The Mexican is determined to help transform Cadillac into a genuine midfield contender, even if progress has been slower than he would like.

While encouraged by the car’s underlying pace, Perez has openly challenged the team to improve operationally after a number of costly mistakes and reliability issues during its debut campaign.

“I know that I don’t have all the time in the world,” he said.

“I came here to make a successful project. And I know that every single weekend is crucial in making sure that we make progress.”

His impatience stems from a desire to see Cadillac take meaningful steps forward sooner rather than later.

“For me, that’s the main driving factor. I want to see more progress. I want to see progress quickly because unfortunately Formula 1 doesn’t give you time.

“Everyone is impatient here.”

Perez believes the coming months will be crucial in determining how quickly Cadillac can establish itself as a competitive force.

“We have all the resources in place, but we don’t have all the tools or all the experience to look after them all. So it’s a very tricky scenario in that regard.

“But I think the next couple of months are going to be the biggest test for Cadillac so far on how much we are able to progress.”

For Perez, the comeback story is already delivering on a personal level. He has silenced his own doubts and reminded both himself and the paddock of his capabilities. The next challenge is turning that renewed confidence into results and helping Cadillac’s ambitious Formula 1 project move from promise to performance.

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Written by

James Rees

A passionate motorsport journalist from Wales, with over 30 years of love for the sport. A dedicated father of three, working as a content manager, covering the fast-paced world of Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, Formula E, and IndyCar.

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