Sergio Perez has claimed that he has “nothing to prove” after his unceremonious Red Bull exit as he gears up to debut for Cadillac in Formula 1.
Perez went into the 2024 season hoping to continue his stint with the Milton Keynes-based squad into 2025 and the regulations reset in 2026.
But his struggles with the RB20 left him a massive 285 points adrift of his team-mate Max Verstappen, and Red Bull decided to part ways with the Mexican driver.
Not only did the last two years with Red Bull soil Perez’s reputation but it also left the six-time Grand Prix winner without a seat this season.
But the upcoming 11th team on the grid, Cadillac, has announced its decision to sign the 35-year-old alongside Valtteri Bottas for its debut season next year.
Reflecting on his Red Bull struggles, Perez was adamant that he does not intend to carry forward any baggage with him to Cadillac.
“I feel like there’s nothing to prove. Not just because of the current drivers or the next drivers that were in my seat but even before that,” he said.
Perez doesn’t need vindictation especially when the team’s second-seat problems have only gotten worse since his departure.
Liam Lawson, who was promoted from Racing Bulls to replace Perez, was given the axe just three rounds into the season.
Meanwhile, his eventual successor, Yuki Tsunoda, has since then only managed to score seven points for the team.
“Now everyone forgets about it, but it’s been a very tricky place to be in, to constantly be adapting, to build confidence mentally. It’s a very unique challenge,” he assessed.
“I don’t think I have anything to prove when you see the amount of points they’ve scored. It’s like five points in the entire season.”
Perez relishing Cadillac opportunity
Perez’s time with Red Bull might have left a sour taste in his mouth, but he believes that the time off has given him time to realise why he wants to get back into the paddock.
“For me, it was very important to have this time off the sport, especially because it only became clear towards the end of the year that I was not going to continue with Red Bull,” he continued.
“So, instead of jumping into something just for staying on the grid, I needed that time to disconnect from the sport and to understand what I really want next in my career.
“It wasn’t very clear for me in the beginning, especially the first couple of months, what I wanted to do next. The more I was talking to the Cadillac team, the more it became apparent that this is what excites me to go back.
“It’s just not going back to the grid with a regular team to fight for podiums and races and points. This is a whole project. The dynamic, I feel, is different.”
The General Motors-backed project will start off as a Ferrari customer team with an aim to become a works outfit by the 2028 season.
Naturally, the team is not expecting to start its legacy in the sport with wins, podiums, and leading the midfield. Perez is acutely aware of this and has set his targets with the team for his second coming in the sport.
“To me, it’s more of a comeback to enjoy the sport,” he revealed.
“I want to enjoy the sport that I love, the sport that has given me so much. I couldn’t afford to leave the way I left the sport, and this is why I’m coming back with this new project.
“I hope it’s a very successful one. But amongst that, more than anything, I want to enjoy this comeback.”
READ MORE – How Red Bull helped Sergio Perez to land Cadillac F1 seat
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