F1 star Sergio Perez reveals shock Mercedes chance was foiled by Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez, Britain, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Sergio Perez reveals shock Mercedes F1 chance was foiled by Lewis Hamilton

Sergio Perez started out at Sauber before moving to McLaren

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 12 January 2026 21:13

F1 star Sergio Perez has revealed that he might have had an opportunity to sign for Mercedes, if it wasn't for Lewis Hamilton.

Perez raced in F1 from 2011-2024, competing with teams including Sauber, Force India, McLaren and Red Bull.

In 2026, the Mexican racer is returning to the grid in a full-time capacity, racing with the new F1 outfit Cadillac alongside Valtteri Bottas.

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And ahead of that return, Perez has been talking about his early career, which started at Sauber all the way back in 2011.

After performing well for the team - claiming three podiums in 2012 - Perez joined McLaren to race alongside Jenson Button, following the departure of Hamilton to Mercedes.

And while he was taken aback by the interest from McLaren, Perez has admitted that Mercedes would have also been an option for him due to his form at Sauber, had Hamilton not decided to move there.

Mercedes would go on to become the dominant team in the sport from 2014, as they took advantage of wholesale regulation changes, going on to win eight consecutive constructors' championships between 2014-2021.

"Suddenly the opportunity presented itself: I never would have imagined it," Perez told the Cracks podcast about his move to McLaren.

"I always thought there were two teams I would never drive for: McLaren and Red Bull, because they always train their drivers at their academy. Then McLaren came along.

"They were nervous because Hamilton was leaving, and if Hamilton hadn't gone to Mercedes, I would have had the Mercedes option too. So McLaren came along with a lot of confidence and offered me a contract, and I accepted it."

Perez's McLaren career

Despite his previous promise shown at Sauber, Perez ultimately disappointed at McLaren. He did not claim a single podium in the 2013 season and finished down in 11th in the drivers' championship.

It led to McLaren opting to replace him ahead of the incoming hybrid era with youngster Kevin Magnussen, and Perez had to settle for a seat with Force India.

It was here that he really forged a career for himself, however, competing with the outfit between 2014-2020, even when Force India became Racing Point.

After a first grand prix victory in 2020, Perez was snapped up by Red Bull to be Max Verstappen's team-mate, where the Mexican racer added five more grand prix wins to his name.

READ MORE: Perez confirms F1 retirement plan

F1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Sergio Perez