No driver has spent more time alongside Max Verstappen during his Formula 1 career than Sergio Perez.
At the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season, it was announced that Red Bull had signed Sergio Perez from Racing Point.
The Mexican driver was coming off the back of his best season in Formula 1, winning his first Grand Prix in Bahrain and finishing fourth in the drivers’ championship.
Max Verstappen was continuing to build momentum at Red Bull, and as soon as Perez joined the team, the Dutchman managed to win his first title.
In fact, it appears as though Verstappen’s run of championship wins is about to come to an end as soon as Red Bull decided to part ways with Perez, although that’s more of a coincidence than anything else.
RANKDRIVERWINS FOR RBRYEARS1Max Verstappen652016 – present2Sebastian Vettel382009 – 20143Mark Webber92007 – 20134Daniel Ricciardo72014 – 20185Sergio Perez62021 – 2024Drivers with the most wins for Red Bull
Verstappen sent Perez a message after his Red Bull contract was cut short, and there were question marks over whether the Mexican would ever be seen on the Formula 1 grid again.
Perez hadn’t been seen in the paddock since his axing, but F1’s newest team, Cadillac, have offered two 35-year-olds, Perez and Valtteri Bottas, a lifeline for 2026.
The Mexican driver has now revealed how his former teammate reacted as soon as he heard the news that they would be racing against each other next season.
READ MORE: Cadillac driver Sergio Perez’s life outside F1 from net worth to nickname
Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty ImagesSergio Perez ‘surprised’ by reaction from Max Verstappen and other F1 drivers to Cadillac news
On Wednesday, Perez took part in an official Cadillac press conference in Mexico.
Hundreds of fans chanted his name throughout, a report from Record has shared, which proved just how valued he is among the sport’s fanbase in his home country.
It should make the upcoming Mexico City Grand Prix even wilder, with the atmosphere generated in the stadium section of the circuit one of the highlights on the Formula 1 calendar.
Friday 29th August to Sunday 31st August
Friday 29th August 10:30 1st Practice Friday 29th August 14:00 2nd Practice Saturday 30th August 09:30 3rd Practice Saturday 30th August 13:00 1st Qualifying Saturday 30th August 13:25 2nd Qualifying Saturday 30th August 13:48 3rd Qualifying Sunday 31st August 13:00 Race
Asked about how his fellow drivers reacted, Perez explained: “I was surprised by it, I was messaged by a lot of drivers.
“They seem to miss me. I will say the first one was Max [Verstappen], he was straight on.
“Teammates, [Pierre] Gasly, Franco [Colapinto], they did send a message, and we have a group where most times they put a message, so it was nice to see that they are happy to see me back.”
Colapinto publicly reacted to Perez’s news, and while his seat on the grid in 2026 is far from safe, he’ll be glad that another Latin American star is guaranteed to be in the sport next year.
READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
Sergio Perez thanks his fans ahead of his Formula 1 comeback with Cadillac
Speaking ahead of starting work with Cadillac for the upcoming season, Perez said: ” I want to thank you all for all your love. I told you we’d see each other again, and here we are.
“For me, you’re one of the main reasons I’m coming back, why I want to close out my career on a high note.”
ENTRIES (STARTS)WINSPOLESPODIUMSFASTEST LAPSPOINTSBEST CHAMP POSITION285 (281)6339121,6382nd (2023)Sergio Perez’s Formula 1 career stats
Perez has signed a multi-year deal with Cadillac, and when it was put to him that this could be his final F1 project, he explained: “At this stage, what I would tell them is to enjoy it a lot, because it’s going to go by very quickly.
“Now is the last stint of this, and I want us to enjoy every moment.”
Perez has signed a lucrative deal with Cadillac, and given the support he’s already gained ahead of his move, he could earn millions even if the team fail to score a point while he’s in the car.
However, the reaction from Verstappen and the other drivers on the grid highlights not only how popular he is in the paddock, but the reputation he’s earned after more than 280 races in the sport.