Sergio Perez has received a strong vote of confidence regarding a potential return to Formula 1, with Stake F1’s new team principal Jonathan Wheatley suggesting the Mexican driver could still compete at the highest level.
Wheatley, who previously served as Red Bull's sporting director, worked closely with Perez during his four-year stint with the reigning champions. During that time, Perez secured five race victories and finished as runner-up in the 2023 championship.
Perez Stepped Away After 2024 Struggles
Despite his earlier success, Perez endured a difficult 2024 season that ultimately led to his departure from Red Bull. Following his exit, the veteran racer opted to take a sabbatical in 2025, prioritizing time with his family and reflecting on whether he wished to pursue a racing return in 2026.
Among the opportunities potentially on the table is a drive with the incoming Cadillac F1 team, set to debut in 2026. Wheatley believes that should Perez choose to come back, he would do so with the same competitive fire.
"I think he's more than capable of coming back and very quickly getting up to speed in a new team," Wheatley told Formula.Hu.
A Tough Red Bull Seat Beside Max Verstappen
Wheatley also addressed the challenge Perez faced while paired with Max Verstappen, widely regarded as the benchmark in Formula 1.
"Checo was in one of the toughest seats in Formula 1 last year, next to Max, and when you're up against somebody like him, you have to keep looking in the mirror and asking more questions of yourself," he said.
"I think if we look back, he struggled a little bit more with the car than Max did, and that seems to be consistent this year as well."
Even during his rough patches, Perez impressed Wheatley with his ability to bounce back from setbacks.
"I was always surprised how he could rebuild himself and come back stronger from each setback."
"He seems to have an incredible ability to rebuild, and I think also he's just got a great way with him, with the team, and the team naturally responds well to him."
Technical Skills Make Perez Ideal for a New Project
One of the key reasons Perez continues to draw interest from new outfits like Cadillac is his technical insight — a trait Wheatley says sets him apart.
"He understands these things very well, and I always thought that his explanations to the engineers about how the car was behaving were very clear and easy to understand," Wheatley explained.
"Checo is a very professional, very talented and of course a very fast driver who is a pleasure to work with."
Mental Fortitude Key to Comeback
Above all, Wheatley believes Perez’s mental strength and confidence will be crucial should he decide to rejoin the grid.
"It comes down as always to mental strength and confidence. I think if a driver's mentally strong and very confident and is driving at the top of his ability, he can miss a period and come back in and be fast again."
"So that's the key — the mental strength is the key.”
With 2026 shaping up to be a transformative year in Formula 1 — including Cadillac’s highly anticipated entry — Sergio Perez’s potential return remains a storyline to watch. Backed by his former team boss and equipped with deep experience, the door to an F1 comeback may be wide open.