Sergio Pérez is looking to the long term: “I’m thinking more along the lines of four years”

Back in Formula 1 with Cadillac, Sergio Pérez isn't just sporting a renewed smile. In Miami, the Mexican also made his ambitions clear: to extend his career well beyond his current contract.

After a season away in 2025 and a complicated departure from Red Bull Racing, Sergio Pérez seems to have been reborn since his return to the grid. At 36, the driver has rediscovered what he had been missing: the intensity of race weekend.

“Fantastic! I realize just how much I love competition,” he confides in the paddock at the Miami International Autodrome.

Teamwork, preparation, the pressure… all these elements have reignited his motivation. “It's great to work with a team. I still have a lot of that energy you put into a race weekend,” he explains.

A mindset that has profoundly changed his initial intentions: “It's a renewed sense of motivation that has even changed my original plans. When I returned to Formula 1, I thought it would be a short chapter. But now, I want to stay longer.”

Ambitions extending beyond Cadillac

Currently signed with Cadillac for two seasons, Pérez is already looking further ahead. “My contract here is for two years. But I'm thinking more along the lines of four,” he says.

The Mexican, however, makes this extension contingent on two factors: performance and personal balance. “As long as I'm competitive, I'll continue. And my family has to agree. They do.”

A measured statement, but one that also fits into a competitive context. The shadow of young talents, such as Colton Herta, already looms over the team's future, should he obtain his super license.

A critical view of today's F1

Despite this renewed enthusiasm, Pérez does not hide his reservations about the technical direction of the sport. “I don't really like these changes. It's become a completely different Formula 1,” he explains.

The driver acknowledges the economic stakes but believes a balance still needs to be found: “I understand the direction the sport must take to remain economically attractive. But there's still a lot of work to be done.”

His assessment is clear: “We're here because we love racing. And I feel like we've lost a bit of that passion.”

Like many drivers, he points specifically to the complexity of energy management: “It makes Formula 1 less fun than it used to be.”

And despite recent adjustments, he expects more: “Those in charge need to listen to us more; there are other things we want to change.”

Verstappen as the benchmark

When asked about his former teammates, Pérez points directly to Max Verstappen as the benchmark. “Max Verstappen is number one,” he states.

But the Mexican immediately qualifies this: “He's not that far ahead.” In his view, the gaps are also linked to comfort in the car: “If we'd all had a car in which we were 100% comfortable, we'd all have been very close.”

Finally, Pérez remains grounded when it comes to Cadillac. The goal isn't yet to compete for the win, but to make progress step by step. “Leave a few teams behind us. If we can do that, it would be fantastic.”

His ambition is clear: “I dream of beating two or three established teams by the end of the year.”

A measured goal, but one that reveals a driver who, despite the years, has lost none of his appetite.