Sergio Pérez says, ahead of his return to Formula 1, that he’s actually grateful for his forced ‘sabbatical’. The Mexican was told in December 2024 that his time at Red Bull was over, and then spent a year on the sidelines of the sport’s top tier. Pérez’s comeback coincides with sweeping rule changes in Formula 1. Thanks to his year out, the current Cadillac driver was able to get an early handle on the new regulations.
Sergio Pérez will be back on the starting grid in March after a year away from Formula 1. The Mexican saw his Red Bull career end at the close of 2024, but is now a Cadillac driver. His return aligns with the first season of Formula 1’s new regulatory cycle, in which both the chassis and engine regulations have been completely overhauled.
“These are rules that will completely change Formula 1 as we know it — for the fans and for the drivers,” Pérez says. “I could tell you this might be the biggest rule change I’ve faced in my entire career. It’s going to be something totally different to what it’s ever been.” According to the Mexican, every driver will therefore be starting from zero, although his unplanned ‘sabbatical’ gives him a small edge: thanks to the year away from Formula 1 Pérez had plenty of time to get familiar with the new regulations. “That year of sabbatical turned out to be useful after all,” says the current Cadillac driver.
Bottas
Whether he prefers the new cars to the previous ground-effect generation Pérez isn’t ready to say. The Mexican already logged the first kilometres in the Cadillac car during a shakedown at Silverstone and the test days in Barcelona. Still, Pérez believes his long F1 experience gives him an advantage, especially with the equally experienced Valtteri Bottas as team-mate. “Valtteri is one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1 today,” Pérez says. “He has a lot of experience, a lot of speed. Having him alongside me will push me to keep hitting my highest level.”
