On the eve of his return to Formula 1, Sergio Perez has revealed a missed opportunity that could have changed the course of his career. As the Mexican driver prepares to test himself once again at the highest level with Cadillac, he has shared a revealing story from his past that still prompts reflection.
Sergio Perez is ready to get back on track in Formula 1 with Cadillac. However, ahead of his return to the grid, the Mexican driver has opened up about a key moment earlier in his career, when a different decision could have led him down a very different path in the world championship.
“I was the most wanted driver on the grid”
Sergio Perez made his Formula 1 debut in 2011 with Sauber, quickly making a name for himself thanks to consistent performances and three podium finishes during the 2012 season. Those results turned him into one of the most attractive young prospects on the grid, drawing the attention of several top teams.
Looking back on that period during an appearance on the Cracks podcast, Sergio Perez explained just how high the demand for his services had become: “I was the most wanted driver on the grid. When a young driver arrives and gets results straight away, everyone wants him because they do not know how far he can go.”
Among the options on the table at the time was Ferrari, with whom Sergio Perez was linked through the Scuderia’s junior programme. “The logical thing was to follow that path, but Ferrari could not offer me a seat before 2014. I was young, desperate, I wanted it immediately,” he said.
The Hamilton domino effect and the Mercedes option
The real twist came with a potential domino effect involving Lewis Hamilton. Sergio Perez revealed that, had the British driver remained at McLaren, a door could have opened for him at Mercedes. “If Hamilton had not gone to Mercedes, I would have had that option as well,” he explained.
“I always thought there were two teams I would never drive for: McLaren and Red Bull, because they focus on drivers from their own academies.” In the end, it was McLaren that made the decisive move, concerned about Hamilton’s imminent departure: “They came to me very convinced, they offered me a contract and I accepted it.”
However, the experience in Woking lasted just one season. The 2013 campaign proved to be a difficult one, and at the end of the year Perez parted ways with the team. That decision marked the beginning of a journey that, in the coming weeks, will see him return to the Formula 1 grid with Cadillac, bringing his career full circle after years of experience across the paddock.
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