Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko believes Sergio Perez still has what it takes to compete in F1 as long as he has “recovered from the pressure” of being Max Verstappen’s team-mate.

It comes after it emerged that Perez is closing in on a return to Formula 1 with the new Cadillac team for the F1 2026 season.

Sergio Perez in ‘advanced talks’ with Cadillac F1 over F1 2026 comeback

Perez vacated his Red Bull seat at the end of last year after a punishing 2024 campaign, just six months after signing a new two-year contract with the team.

A report on Wednesday claimed that Perez is in “advanced talks” with the incoming Cadillac F1 team, whose application to enter Formula 1 was formally improved last month.

Although a contract is yet to be signed, it is said that talks between Perez and Cadillac F1 are ‘progressing well’ with financial details still to be finalised.

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Cadillac F1 have been open about their wish to pair an up-and-coming American racer with an experienced driver for their debut season, with Perez believed to be ahead of the likes of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu in the fight for the second seat.

Colton Herta, the California-born IndyCar driver, has been heavily linked with a switch to F1 as Cadillac’s American signing.

Speaking to Austrian publication Kleine Zeitung, Marko has thrown his support behind a Perez/Herta partnership at Cadillac F1.

Asked if Perez, who celebrated his 35th birthday in January, still has what it takes to succeed in F1, Marko said: “If he has recovered from the pressure of Verstappen and is highly motivated, then yes.

“He’s very popular in Latin America and you shouldn’t forget that.

“I’ve just spoken to him on the phone and he’s in good spirits and enjoying life.

“You will probably need an experienced driver. As a US driver, Colton Herta is a hot candidate.”

Marko went on to give his approval to Formula’s decision to grant Cadillac F1’s entry following a hard-fought battle with the former Andretti-led operation.

Cadillac will compete with customer Ferrari engines and gearboxes from F1 2026, with the American manufacturer poised to produce their own power unit from the start of 2028.

He said: “When one of the world’s largest car manufacturers comes into Formula 1 with such a traditional brand, you always benefit from it.

“In my youth, Cadillac was an absolute dream car. Now they want to gain a foothold again.

“They could also be successful straight away because Cadillac’s parent company General Motors has a stake in Ferrari [and]  they are starting with Ferrari engines.

“The only exciting thing will be how they manage the fragmentation of the locations – the engine factory in North Carolina and the team location in England, from which everything is to be managed.”

Marko’s comments come after Perez broke his silence on his Red Bull exit on Tuesday, revealing that talks to part ways stepped up at the penultimate race of the 2024 season in Qatar.

In an interview with the official F1 website, he said: “Everything happened really late in the season. I wasn’t really expecting it to happen.

“It only became clearer once we were in Qatar and we started to discuss and negotiate my exit of the team.

“It all happened very quickly.”

Perez admitted that he has held talks with a number of teams over a potential comeback since his final race for Red Bull at last year’s Abu Dhabi finale.

He said: “If I find a project that motivates me fully to come back, where the team believe in me and where they appreciate my career, my experience and everything I can bring to a team, it would be very attractive to consider it.

“That’s why I’ve given myself at least six months to get all my options on the table and make a decision on what I do next with my career.

“There are a few very interesting projects out there. I’ve been approached by a few teams since Abu Dhabi.

“Right now, the season has started so a few things will open up in the coming months.

“We are talking to a few parties out there. Once I know all my options, I will make a decision.

“What is very clear to me is that I’m only coming back if the project makes sense and it’s something I can enjoy.

“I’ve spent a long time in F1 already, I’ve done most of it.

“Once you step back, you realise how much you give up in life to be in the sport. So to be in F1 fully committed, I need the motivation.”

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