Sergio Perez has seemingly set his sights on another stint in Formula 1. Perez took time to consider his next steps after losing his Red Bull seat at the end of last year.
It wasn’t certain that the Mexican would seek a comeback. His Red Bull exit was brutal, with his form unravelling before a mutual agreement to rip up his contract.
Perez has started 281 Grands Prix, which puts him in the top 10 all-time. As a 35-year-old father, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he decided to walk away from F1 for good.
| YEAR | TEAM | RACE | 2ND | 3RD |
| 2020 | Racing Point | Sakhir | Ocon | Stroll |
| 2021 | Red Bull | Azerbaijan | Vettel | Gasly |
| 2022 | Red Bull | Monaco | Sainz | Verstappen |
| 2022 | Red Bull | Singapore | Leclerc | Sainz |
| 2023 | Red Bull | Saudi Arabia | Verstappen | Alonso |
| 2023 | Red Bull | Azerbaijan | Verstappen | Leclerc |
But the hunger remains for the former McLaren driver. And crucially, there’s a market for his services despite his ignominious exit.
His suitors remember that he’s a six-time Grand Prix winner with three pole positions and 39 podiums to his name. He was also an exceptional team player at Red Bull, most notably helping Max Verstappen win the world title at the 2021 finale by holding up Lewis Hamilton.
Sergio Perez’s manager seen visiting Alpine in the Monaco Grand Prix paddock
Speaking live on ESPN Argentina’s coverage of the Monaco Grand Prix, journalist Juan Fossaroli said Perez’s manager had been seen visiting Alpine’s facility.
Last year, Julian Jakobi, who worked with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, was Perez’s representative.
It emerged this week that Alpine see Perez as a ‘low-maintenance’ alternative to Franco Colapinto. This is the clearest sign yet that Flavio Briatore holds an interest.
And that feeling is mutual. Perez is waiting on news from Alpine before he decides what he wants to do for 2026.
Cadillac and Alpine aren’t the only teams showing interest in Sergio Perez
Alpine have only just promoted Franco Colapinto to replace Jack Doohan. It was initially announced that Colapinto would have five races to prove himself, though Briatore has already played down talk of another change in the near future.
The picture is muddled and not overly secure for Colapinto. Teammate Pierre Gasly signed a multi-year extension in 2025.
Like the Argentine, Perez offers huge commercial incentives. But he may also be more reliable than a driver who crashed heavily on his return weekend, continuing an early theme from his career.
New entrants Cadillac and frontrunners Mercedes are also keen on Perez. It’s unclear if the Silver Arrows view him as a potential race driver or a reserve.
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