“Unfinished business” – the telling part of the answer from Sergio Perez’s manager Khalil Beschir when asked why the Mexican wanted a Formula 1 drive in 2026.
Perez was unceremoniously let go by Red Bull Racing at the end of what he would freely admit was a challenging 2024 season – but, if anything, his stock has risen while he has been absent from the sport.
His replacement, Liam Lawson, lasted just two races before being swapped out for Yuki Tsunoda as the list of team-mates unable to hold a candle to Max Verstappen continues to grow.
Perez returns to the sport with the new Cadillac F1 Team, partnered with another experienced campaigner in Valtteri Bottas – but while the Finn was present throughout 2025 in his role as reserve driver at Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Perez kept his distance.
“I think everyone deserves a break. The timing was perfect for where things were for him on the professional and on the personal side,” Beschir told Sector.
“Everybody knows where things went there. But I think the break was very good. He could manage to sit down, sit outside the sport, look at it from afar and reflect.
“Obviously, what happened at Red Bull, everybody had a completely different image of Checo today than what it was at the end of last season, because everybody thought he was finished and he’s done with the sport. There was so much blame on him, on the results, but everything happens for a reason.”
Perez will go from a team challenging for pole positions, wins and championships to F1 newcomers Cadillac, a team determined to make a splash in the sport but with the challenge of starting from scratch.
Speaking to Sector at the Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix, Tyler Epp, Cadillac’s Global Head of Commercial Strategy, revealed that marketing considerations as well as on-track performance played a part in the decision to sign both Perez and Bottas for its rookie year.
This team doesn’t need sponsorship. So, they are not here counting on what Checo can bring in commercially
Khalil Beschir
While Perez’s mass appeal in Latin America continues, however, Beschir is keen to stress that it was his in-car pedigree that was the driving factor in landing a Cadillac seat.
Perez has often been labelled as a “paid-for” driver, given the wealth of backing he brings from Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim and his companies, such as Telmex, Claro and Infinitum.
“He was still hungry, and he never wanted to finish the career the way things ended up last season. He still has in him a lot to give and I would say he still had unfinished business,” explained Beschir.
“He didn’t want to jump into any seat. He wasn’t desperate to come back in, he always wanted something to excite him, and the Cadillac project is a very interesting one.
“It is not every day you can be with a massive manufacturer like GM building a new Formula 1 team – and this team doesn’t need sponsorship. So, they are not here counting on what Checo can bring in commercially.
“We all know he’s a brand. He has a huge fan base but at the end of the day, he is honoured to join someone like GM and TWG.
“There are so many Latin American and global brands that want into F1 because of Checo, but I don’t think Cadillac is going to take brands like this because the team wants him because of his experience, same as Valtteri, they chose them for a reason.”
Perez’s commercial appeal has already been shown in his deal with Tommy Hilfiger – Cadillac’s Official Apparel Partner – to become a Global Menswear Ambassador for the brand.
The only other partner announced by Cadillac – which will unveil its first livery during the Super Bowl in February – is Jim Beam, while Epp also told Sector the team is not currently seeking a title sponsor.
According to Beschir, the challenge of Cadillac could be just what Perez needs after the chastening experience in his final days as a Red Bull driver.
“The first time he met with Dan (Towriss, CEO TWG Motorsports) and with the team, it was very clear they both like challenges. They both have the same DNA of winning and moving forward,” he added.
“He is also realistic. He knows it’s a long road ahead, but it’s a new challenge he wants to take. It’s a different challenge from previously, and he wants to enjoy it with this team, its management and atmosphere.
“At the end of the day, he really wants to come back and enjoy the sport he loves, the sport which gave him a lot and to build something big with this team
“My job, first of all, was to work with him to go back to get a seat where he’s happy to accept a new challenge. First of all, was to ask: how hungry are you? He was very hungry. For him, the priority is racing, the priority is results, the priority is how quickly this new team is going to go forward as well as the team’s leadership and atmosphere.”
