The three Formula 1 teams that simply have to consider signing Sergio Perez for the 2026 season

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Sergio Perez has been forgotten about amid Red Bull’s second seat drama this season, with the team already swapping Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda after just two rounds.

The Mexican driver’s poor performance in 2024 was blamed on a decline in his skills rather than an issue with Red Bull’s car.

After Liam Lawson failed to get close to the top 10 in it, his predecessor’s drivers’ championship result of eighth has begun to look far more impressive.

It serves as a reminder that Perez may have plenty more left in the tank if his car was the problem. The ultimate tyre whisperer (and his associated sponsorship) may be in big demand for the 2026 F1 regulations.

Perez ‘contributed’ to Lawson’s Red Bull issues by giving a lack of feedback last season. He may have inadvertently helped himself.

With fewer seats available for next year, Perez’s sponsors have held talks with one F1 team about a return – he never officially retired.

READ MORE: Helmut Marko thinks one thing is ‘completely different’ at Red Bull since Sergio Perez left

Why Sergio Perez should be signed by Alpine, Cadillac or Mercedes for the 2026 Formula 1 season

Compared to 2025’s Formula 1 silly season, this year should be a far more subdued affair. There are just far fewer seats available despite there being an extra entry on the grid.

Talking of which, Cadillac should be the most interested in Perez’s services for 2026. They need a driver with experience who can start immediately and help with simulator feedback.

Due to being paid by Red Bull not to race this year, Perez is available to start now and would be getting a considerable head start for next season.

Alpine are another team that should be interested. They’re one of the few midfield teams the Mexican driver has never raced for, but if Jack Doohan isn’t their solution, he could do a great job for them in their fight to reach the front. He knows what it is like to drive a winning car.

And finally, one which may serve as a surprise is Mercedes. Both drivers are out of contract at the end of the year and if Red Bull still are not comfortable with their second seat situations, they could table an offer to George Russell.

If accepted, there would be a hole in experience and Perez brings exactly that to them. Whether or not they would prefer Valtteri Bottas instead is another question, but he doesn’t bring any sponsorship.

READ MORE: Sergio Perez’s ex-engineer reveals true ramifications of being Max Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, ‘sad to see…’

Sergio Perez was dealing with ‘huge weight’ of expectations from Mexico before F1 seat loss

Perez’s popularity has brought a lot of benefit to his career, including support and merchandise sales throughout the years.

However, with that comes an expectation of performance. Fans want to see the driver that they support doing well.

As was the case in 2024, the 35-year-old was not doing well. Perez was dealing with ‘huge weight’ from his supporters and it may have negatively impacted his performance.

Now that it has been lifted off his shoulders, he may be able to express himself on track if he returns to the sport in the future. There should be an opening for him somewhere in 2026.