Sergio Pérez and Colton Herta: A potential future duo at Cadillac for the 2026 season?
After 13 years in Formula 1, Sergio Pérez says goodbye to a regular seat in the premier category of motorsport. However, this farewell might not be final. The arrival of Cadillac in 2026 as the 11th team could be a new opportunity for him to showcase himself in a single-seater.
After starting with Sauber, then experiencing failure with McLaren before winning his first winner’s trophy with Racing Point, and making the big leap to Red Bull, the Mexican driver now finds himself at a crossroads for the 2025 season.
After a winless season far from the expected hopes and a disappointing 8th place finish where his teammate, Max Verstappen, ended as world champion, Sergio Pérez will not be in F1 this year. A first since his debut in the premier category in 2011. A more than logical choice given his potential and the car he has been entrusted with in recent years.
However, even though he said goodbye to Red Bull, the native of Guadalajara hasn’t completely ruled out the idea of returning to F1 one day. And that day could come sooner than expected. With Cadillac’s arrival in 2026 as the 11th team on the grid, Pérez could well make his comeback as a main driver.
Günther Steiner, former director of Haas team, spoke about this at GPBloc and sees it positively. « If you are Cadillac, you need someone experienced. Checo has been in many teams for a long time. He knows the environment and could be of great help. Offering him a one-year contract might be better than hiring inexperienced rookies. It would be an opportunity for him. With a year of hindsight after Max’s domination, he could come back in better form. Checo could have value for Cadillac. »
Colton Herta expected to join Cadillac
Engaged in IndyCar with the Andretti team, which is also associated with the Cadillac F1 project for 2026, the American could well attempt the Formula 1 adventure at the wheel of a Cadillac-branded single-seater. Already in November, Mario Andretti had confirmed to the American media that he is a candidate being considered to join the Cadillac project in 2026. His teammate, Marcus Ericsson, also commented on this by stating that Colton Herta has enough talent to establish himself as a future full-time driver.
This potential upcoming F1 duo seems almost evident. An inexperienced Colton Herta in Formula 1 but not a newcomer to the racing scene, and on the other hand, a Sergio Pérez who knows the field very well, would be a logical decision for the team. One thing is certain, the F1 market will spark a lot of conversations even before the season has started and promises many surprises.
