Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Red Bull Racing, Motorsport, Formula 1
Ben McCrum
Staff members working for ex-Red Bull star Sergio Perez's new team did not react well to news he could return to Formula One
After four years as Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull Racing, Perez was sacked at the end of last year’s season following a drastic dip in form in his final two years at the team.
Since then, the popular Mexican driver has reportedly been enjoying some time away from the sport, despite rumours that he could return to the track in the near future.
However, recent reports have suggested that the 35-year-old may finally be ready to return to the F1 in the much anticipated 2026 season that will see a major overhaul of the sport's regulations.
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But Perez might not be happy to hear that staff members working for his new team were reportedly not exactly happy to hear that they would be working with him next season.
Since Perez's exit from Red Bull, several teams have been linked with the Mexican driver, including Alpine and Kick Sauber, who will become the Revolut Audi F1 Team next season.
However, the one team that has stood out as the frontrunner to sign Perez is Cadillac, who are set to join the Formula 1 grid as the 11th team from the 2026 season, pending final approval from the FIA.
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Several drivers have been linked with the new Formula One team, who will expand the grid to 22 drivers, but it appears that Perez has beaten the rest to earn one of the seats.
However, a new report from GPBlog, has claimed that this news hasn't exactly gone down well at Cadillac HQ as staff were heard "sighing and moaning" at rumours that they were planning to announce Perez in the coming weeks.
The report adds that, although he is yet to sign his contract with Cadillac, it is currently expected that Perez could be announced as one of their drivers as soon as the Italian Grand Prix on September 7.
Surprisingly, the report also confirms that Perez will be Cadillac's second driver next season, with the F1 team selecting former Mercedes star Valtteri Bottas as their first pick.
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Bottas, who is currently serving as Mercedes reserve driver this season after losing his seat at Kick Sauber, is believed to have verbally agreed to join Cadillac next season having previously expressed a desire to return to the sport as soon as possible.
Speaking on the Beyond The Grid podcast, he said: “I still have more to give. It’s still the number one thing in my life. That sensation, now that I’ve been watching aside, has got stronger and stronger and stronger, and now I really start to miss racing."