Sergio Perez influence saluted as Cadillac’s plans for £1.5bn market laid bare

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Sergio Perez is making his return to the Formula 1 grid with the sport’s newest team, Cadillac, after a 12-month absence.

Red Bull decided to drop Sergio Perez at the end of the 2024 F1 season following a poor campaign alongside Max Verstappen.

It looked like his F1 career was over at this stage, but the announcement that American motoring giants Cadillac would be making their debut in 2026 offered the 36-year-old a lifeline.

There was a lot of speculation about which two drivers the team principal Graeme Lowdon would select.

However, in the end, he opted for experience, and alongside Perez, multiple Grand Prix winner Valtteri Bottas was signed from Mercedes.

Should Sergio Perez be more grateful to Red Bull?

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Perez and Bottas are on the same page about Cadillac’s early issues on track, but one thing the team aren’t lacking is backing.

The announcement that Perez brought America Movil with him to Cadillac is exciting for the team, and will see brands such as Telcel, Infinitum and Claro feature on the cars and in the paddock.

GRV Media’s head of finance and governance content, Adam Williams, spoke exclusively to F1 Oversteer about the impact of Perez’s latest backers.

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

Sergio Perez’s ‘superstar status’ helps Cadillac attract important F1 sponsorship

Reflecting on the news that Mexican brands are continuing to back Perez now that he’s joined Cadillac, Williams said: “With a new team, the first sponsors you sign with are particularly important. You’re sending a signal to the market: this is who we are, this is the kind of team we want to be and the kind of brands we want to partner with.

“As the ultimate brand ambassadors, the drivers are the most important element here. Perez brings superstar status in Mexico, which means that Cadillac are able to strike blue-chip deals with Mexican companies like America Movil, who want to be associated with something new and exciting with direct cut-through in their core market.

“One of the most prominent trends in modern sports fandom is that people – and especially young people – are following individual athletes or professionals rather than teams. So there is a commercial angle to every contract negotiation with a driver. This is particularly pronounced in F1, I think.

Cadillac received nearly 150,000 applications to join their team. What would be your dream F1 job if you couldn’t be a driver?

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“Sponsorship revenue is absolutely huge in the sport. The teams generated around £1.5bn in sponsorship revenue last season. When sponsors are paying that much, it’s for association with elite brands like Cadillac and elite drivers with huge reach like Perez. It’s not just a badging exercise or a matter of how many eyeballs are on your logo – rather, it’s about creating psychological links between your products and success.

“From his time at Red Bull, I imagine Perez is better versed than most in the kind of buy-in that brands want from athletes. Cadillac will have used that level of professionalism and commercial understanding as leverage when in talks with sponsors. It’s another plus point to sell to partners.”

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

Sergio Perez admits he’s still ‘finding a few issues’ after initial Cadillac shakedown

Both Perez and Bottas are incredibly marketable drivers, with the Finn accruing a huge following on social media in recent years.

Perez brought a crazy amount of sponsorship to Red Bull, and while that won’t be the primary reason Cadillac brought him in, it’s a nice bonus.

Cadillac made their on-track debut at Silverstone this year before taking part in the shakedown in Barcelona alongside most of their new rivals.

Reflecting on his start to the season, Perez said: “We got a lot of running, a lot of information.

“Still finding a few issues out there, which is great – it was all about that today. I think we are improving pretty much every run.

“We’re obviously starting to explore the car, the set-up, directions we want to be taking, so I think it’s starting well.”