After four years at Red Bull, Sergio Pérez had his fair share of highs and lows. The Milton Keynes-based team showed Pérez the door at the end of the 2024 season in favour of New Zealander Liam Lawson, who recently has been demoted back to the junior team after only two races.
The news of Red Bull ending Pérez’s contract early came after the conclusion of the 2024 season. This meant that all other teams, besides Red Bull’s junior team Racing Bulls, had already secured their lineups and there was therefore no F1 seat for Pérez in 2025.
Since losing his Formula One seat, speculation has been ongoing among fans of the sport regarding the Mexican driver’s next endeavour. Six-time race winner Pérez recently revealed that he is taking his time to decide on his future as 2026 lies in wait.
No rush to decide on his future
It seems that Pérez himself is undecided about what his future holds. He has a wide range of options, whether that be returning to racing in Formula One or another series. He could even pursue a new venture outside of the cockpit.
Speaking at an event recently in Mexico, the driver revealed his own uncertainty regarding his future plans.
“Honestly, I’ve given myself 6 months to make a decision.”
The 35-year-old is therefore clearly in no rush to decide, taking his time to weigh up a return to racing or retirement from the sport.
Pérez still weighing up his options for 2026
Pérez revealed that there is no shortage of opportunities for his future. Despite this, he remained vague about what this may include.
“To ponder which options I got and to decide on my next step on my career. The truth is, I’ve been very fortunate to have this career, because the doors are open in a lot of places… I will decide in 6 months.”
Giving himself a six-month timeline to make a decision, the Mexican driver is in no rush to make any announcements. Having the luxury of time, he wants to be certain about his choice.
“Now I’ve got the opportunity to decide what to do with my career, because what comes next is, without a doubt, important, so I will give myself time and space to make the best choice.”
How likely is an F1 return?
Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko believes that Pérez is eyeing a return to Formula 1.
As Pit Debrief reported after the announcement that Pérez would be replaced at Red Bull, Marko shared his belief that Pérez would return to the sport if a seat came available.
“I think he’s still holding out hopes for Formula 1. But there are no seats for next year (in 2025).”
Despite spending millions to remove Pérez from the team, Marko shared that Pérez finding a new racing seat would not be challenging due to his wealth of experience.
“However, if he takes a year off, he’s an experienced guy, then he can always find something new.”
With the regulation shake-up in 2026, an experienced driver, such as Pérez with over 200 Grand Prix entries, would certainly be an attractive choice for any team.
If he wants to return, Pérez has many possible options on the F1 grid in 2026 as six drivers will be out of contract by the end of 2025. The addition of Cadillac as a new team in 2026, will mean there is no shortage of options for the Mexican driver to explore in his possible return to the sport.
