Axed F1 driver called “perfect fit” for Cadillac: “He’s still got the fire”

Former F1 steward Johnny Herbert believes Sergio Perez would be the “perfect fit” for Cadillac in 2026.

Perez is a free agent after Red Bull dropped him at the end of last season.

The Mexican endured a disappointing final year with the team, finishing eighth in the drivers’ championship.

Perez’s form was so poor that it cost Red Bull the constructors’ championship.

Perez’s stock has likely risen in recent weeks, though, given the struggles of Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda alongside Verstappen.

The 35-year-old is keen to return to the grid in 2026, revealing that he’s held talks with several teams.

Cadillac will become F1’s 11th team next year - and Perez is one of a number of options.

“Yes, Sergio Perez to Cadillac makes sense. As we’ve seen with hindsight if nothing else, he did a good job at Red Bull,” Herbert told SambaSlots.

“It wasn’t perfect. He didn’t win a championship, but he did show that he had some raw pace. The consistency was probably the only thing that was lacking compared to Max.

“He’d be good for Cadillac, a good driver to have on board for Cadillac because, coming into the sport, they’ll have someone with that experience which would only benefit them, in the car, in the factory and also in the various American markets.

“That’s something I’m sure that has been taken into consideration, but it’s also the passion that Sergio has.

“It’s not as if he’s just gone away and said, right, that’s it. He’s still got the fire in his stomach for Formula One. That’s good to see. And I think it would be a perfect fit.”

Cadillac’s options for 2026

Besides Perez, Cadillac have several options to choose from.

Valtteri Bottas is desperate to make a comeback after he missed out on the second Sauber seat to Gabriel Bortoleto.

Bottas is currently Mercedes third driver, and he’s currently mentoring Kimi Antonelli.

Zhou Guanyu is also a possible option.​​

The Chinese driver is a Ferrari reserve driver for this year.

Cadillac will likely want an American driver in one of the seats, and Colton Herta's name has been frequently mentioned.