Max Verstappen breaks silence on Sergio Perez’s F1 comeback with Cadillac

Sergio Perez‘s Formula 1 career seemed to have reached a dead end last year. Red Bull had finally decided that the Mexican could no longer be Max Verstappen‘s teammate, and replaced him with Liam Lawson. However, Checo’s racing dreams have received a new lease of life with Cadillac. Now, Verstappen has expressed his feelings on Perez’s return to the grid.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were teammates at Red Bull for four seasons between 2021 and 2024. During this time, the Dutch driver won every driver’s title in an era of dominance. Though, Perez was always behind the 27-year-old and never really lived up to his full potential. Nevertheless, Checo shared a great bond with the reigning world champion.

Verstappen claimed that he was thrilled to hear the news of Perez’s comeback. So much so, the four-time world champion sent the Mexican a text as soon as he heard about the news. Max Verstappen insisted that Sergio Perez is a great personality who deserves to be back on the grid. He further mentioned that he remains on good terms with the Mexican driver.

I quickly, when I saw the news come out, I sent a message to him. I’m of course very happy for him, that he got a seat. He’s a great guy and we’ve always got along very well. So, I’m happy to see him back on the grid.

Max Verstappen told F1

When it comes to performance, the reigning world champion made it clear that a lot will depend on Cadillac’s car next season. The 2026 rule changes are already a big unknown in the paddock, let alone GM’s first season. Thus, Max Verstappen asserted that he couldn’t really predict how the F1 comeback will fare out for Sergio Perez just yet, though he recognized the importance of this opportunity.

How he’s going to perform I think will also depend on how good the car is going to be, right? So, it’s a bit difficult to say at the moment but it’s a new opportunity and I’m sure he’s very excited for it.

Max Verstappen added

Max Verstappen declares 2026 a ‘new start’ for Sergio Perez

Sergio Perez used to be considered a formidable driver in the F1 midfield. During this time at Force India, the Mexican driver built a reputation of punching above his weight. Unfortunately, his stint against Max Verstappen was far more difficult, something that Checo has hinted was impacted due to Red Bull’s difficult-to-drive machinery.