In recent weeks, Sergio Perez — who will return to the Formula 1 grid next season at the wheel of the Cadillac entry — has shared some revealing details about his departure from Red Bull. The Mexican driver did not hold back when discussing his mixed emotions after the team decided to replace him with Liam Lawson for the current season. The New Zealander was then, in turn, replaced by Yuki Tsunoda after just two races. Perez explained that the internal environment within the team was anything but simple to handle.
“Thank you so much for everything,” Sergio Perez said when asked what his last message to Christian Horner and the entire team had been, as reported by motorsport.com. “And I feel very sorry for anyone who comes here, because it will cost them a lot.”
A difficult car to drive and a team built around Verstappen
“What happened with Red Bull — in the end, I knew it was the best thing that could happen to me,” the Mexican continued. “Because being at Red Bull and being in the conditions I found myself in was very demanding. And every driver who has come in, and every driver who will come in, will continue to face the same problems because it’s a very complex car to drive, where you constantly have to adapt to Max Verstappen’s driving style,” he concluded.
A team focused solely on Verstappen: will it be the same in 2026?
Under Laurent Mekies’ leadership, some small yet significant changes have already been introduced. Just yesterday, the team officially announced the arrival of Isack Hadjar for next season. The big question now is whether he will be able to keep up with Max Verstappen in a structure that historically revolves entirely around the Dutch champion.
Leave a Reply