He sees retirement on the horizon: Checo Perez sees Cadillac as his last big project
The Guadalajara-born driver said he would love to help the new team become one of the most successful and say goodbye to the circuits there.
Mexican driver Sergio 'Checo' Perez said Wednesday that he believes the Cadillac team will be his last “big project” in Formula 1.
“I see it as my last big project that I can give in Formula 1. Ending my career at Cadillac would be incredible, if I can help do it in one of the most successful teams in the future would be incredible. Time will tell,” he explained at a press conference in Mexico City.
With the American team, which will debut in 2026, Sergio will return to the top category of motorsport, after being absent this year after leaving Red Bull.
The most successful Mexican in Formula 1 signed a two-year deal with Cadillac, where he will have Valtteri Bottas, another 35-year-old veteran, as a teammate.
“During this time off the track, I got to know myself as a person. I realized that I really like training and living a healthy life. I thought I trained because I had to by contract and I didn’t like it. When I stopped, I realized that I like being physically fit, and that will help me upon my return,” added Perez.
‘Checo’ has the most successful career for a Mexican driver in F1 with six wins, 39 podiums, a world runner-up position in 2023, and two constructors’ championships. His most successful period was the four years with Red Bull, in which he obtained the runner-up position and the constructors' titles.
At first, I felt like I didn't miss racing, but when the season started, I realized that I did, because I got up early to watch them and I was in contact with people from the teams. That's when I realized I missed it," added the driver born 35 years ago in Guadalajara.
2025 was Perez's first year without competing, since he started in different racing categories since he was 7 years old, when he started driving go-karts and began his career in which he was in Formula 1 for 14 consecutive seasons.
What I will do between now and my debut in 2026 is visit the Cadillac factory and meet the entire team. There are around 400 people working there, I'm going to catch up to see how the car is going. This year I want to test a Formula 1 car for one or two days,to be ready for the first tests,” concluded the Mexican.