Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez met during the 2025 season to exchange racing helmets, a gesture revealed by Perez through an Instagram post published at the start of 2026. The exchange featured a helmet worn by Verstappen at multiple races during the 2024 season, with a message inscribed on the visor that read “Thank you for being a great teammate and friend”. Perez accompanied the image with a caption stating “2025 sabbatical you went very fast. Let’s go for a great 2026”.
The helmet swap represents the conclusion of a four-season partnership between the two drivers at Red Bull Racing from 2021 to 2024, during which the team secured three consecutive constructors’ championships from 2021 to 2023. Perez was dismissed from Red Bull at the conclusion of the 2024 season despite holding a valid contract for 2025, with the team citing performance concerns after the Mexican driver scored just nine points across the final eight races of the campaign. His departure was announced in December 2024, with Liam Lawson replacing him for the 2025 season before Lawson was subsequently replaced by Isack Hadjar for 2026.
Perez earned the nickname “Minister of Defence” from Formula 1 fans following his defensive driving performance at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he held off Lewis Hamilton for multiple laps to allow Verstappen to close the gap to the Mercedes driver during the championship-deciding race. The Mexican driver blocked Hamilton’s overtaking attempts on both the main straight and back straight of the Yas Marina Circuit, costing the British driver approximately seven seconds and enabling Verstappen to position himself within range for the late-race safety car restart that ultimately decided the world championship. Verstappen watched a replay of this defensive sequence during post-race media obligations and commented on the aggressive nature of Perez’s defensive tactics, acknowledging the impact on Hamilton’s advantage.
Perez scored six victories during his time at Red Bull from 2021 to 2024, with wins at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the 2022 Monaco and Singapore Grands Prix, and the 2023 Saudi Arabian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix, plus a victory at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix. His best championship finish came in 2023 when he secured second place behind Verstappen with 285 points, contributing to Red Bull’s constructors’ title success. The partnership saw Verstappen claim world championships in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, though the 2024 title came with significantly reduced dominance compared to the previous three seasons.
Cadillac announced Perez and Valtteri Bottas as their driver lineup for the 2026 season on August 25, 2025, confirming multi-year contracts for both drivers. The signing represented a return to Formula 1 for both drivers after year-long absences, with Bottas having spent 2025 as Mercedes reserve driver following the expiration of his Sauber contract at the end of 2024. Team Principal Graeme Lowdon described the pairing as a statement of intent, emphasizing their combined 527 race starts, 106 podiums, and 16 victories as essential assets for the new team’s development phase. The driver selection followed speculation that Cadillac might sign an American driver to align with the team’s General Motors backing and status as the second American-centered Formula 1 team in history.
Perez conducted Cadillac’s first physical testing program at Imola in November 2025, driving a black-liveried 2023 Ferrari-supplied car as part of the team’s preparation for their 2026 grid entry. The test represented the initial on-track running for the organization ahead of their full competitive debut scheduled for the 2026 season opener. Cadillac will compete as Formula 1’s eleventh team with Ferrari providing customer power units until General Motors completes development of its own engine program for future seasons.
