Carlos Sainz shares why he thinks Sergio Perez was given a ‘second chance’ in Formula 1 with Cadillac

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Sergio Perez will return to the Formula 1 grid with newcomers Cadillac in 2026, as he hopes to turn the team into a successful outfit and revive his own career.

The Mexican will join Cadillac next season alongside Valtteri Bottas, with the pair making a comeback to the grid. Both drivers lost their seats in 2024 with Red Bull and Sauber respectively.

Perez parted ways with the Milton Keynes outfit after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract. The 35-year-old struggled immensely in 2024, finishing eighth with just four podiums, ultimately costing Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.

He had been complaining about how difficult the second car was to drive, given how tailored it was to Max Verstappen. Perez even claims Lewis Hamilton would struggle as Verstappen’s teammate with how tough the car is to drive.

With his poor results at Red Bull, many have wondered if the Mexican deserves another chance in F1, but Perez’s return is ‘100%’ not down to sponsors, according to backer Carlos Slim Domit. Williams driver Carlos Sainz thinks he knows why he is back in F1.

Carlos Sainz says Sergio Perez has managed to ‘stand out’ in F1, hence his ‘second chance’ with Cadillac

Speaking via El Heraldo de Mexico, the Spaniard says that ‘second chances’ are rarely given to F1 drivers. However, Sainz states that the likes of Perez, Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg have managed to ‘stand out’, hence why they have returned.

Talking about Perez’s return to F1 with Cadillac, he said: “Well, I think Checo has already shown everyone how talented he is and the strength he has, right? As a driver, as an athlete, with the sporting career he has in Formula 1.

“Now he’s preparing, I think, for a second, different stage, but I think it’s very motivating, very, very encouraging for him.

“In the end, I think that second chances in Formula 1 are given to very few drivers, and they are given to drivers who have truly marked a before and after, as was the case with Ricciardo, Checo.

“In the end, Hulkenberg has had his second chance. These are drivers who have really managed to stand out a lot, and Checo is one of them.”

READ MORE: Cadillac driver Sergio Perez’s life outside F1 from net worth to nickname

Carlos Sainz outlines the ‘challenge’ of Cadillac joining F1 as the 11th team

Perez is excited by Cadillac’s project, with it being a new team and a strong brand that adds to the sport. It will be a huge challenge to build the American outfit from the ground up, but it will be equally as challenging for their rivals.

The 2026 F1 regulations are set to shake up the pecking order, with Cadillac having a slight advantage as they have solely worked on next year’s car. Furthermore, having two more cars on the grid increases the competition for points and subsequent prize money.

Sainz and Williams hope to challenge further up the grid in 2026, with the team already making huge progress this season as they sit fifth in the standings. But the Spaniard is aware of the threat Cadillac could pose.

He added: “Well, it’s two more cars, but it’s another 100 team members, another team of over 500 people, two more cars on the track on a circuit as small as this one. We notice it in the standings and the traffic, so it will be a challenge for everyone.”