Did F1 star just get dumped because rival is back on the scene?

An new deal for an F1 star has been announced at his rival's expense.

Sergio Perez returns to the sport for the 2026 season thanks to Cadillac who opted for experience with their first driver lineup, which also includes Valtteri Bottas.

Ahead of the upcoming season it has been announced that Perez has attracted a new sponsor, Latin American e-commerce company Mercado Libre.

If the name sounds familiar, it's because the company were one of Alpine star Franco Colapinto's main sponsors, playing a huge role in his career and helping him to rise from F2 to F1.

During the Barcelona shakedown, the key sponsor was missing from Colapinto's Alpine and they were not listed as partners of the team on their website.

Now, it has been announced that Mercado Libre will partner with Perez, who brings with him a strong fanbase.

READ MORE: FIA set for TWO crunch meetings on F1 2026 regulations

Perez acquires new F1 sponsor

Speaking on the new deal, Sean Summers, EVP & CMO of Mercado Libre said: "Checo represents much more than speed on the track. His career and experience are a demonstration of perseverance, ambition, and a constant quest to improve, even in contexts of maximum pressure."

Perez himself said: "The colour yellow has always been very important to me throughout my career, and today it takes on an even more transcendent meaning, because it represents support, confidence and the certainty that there is a team that believes in me.

"I am very excited to have the support of a company with which I share roots and values, which understands speed the same way we do in Formula 1: as a way of working, innovating and constantly improving."

Cadillac will unveil their first F1 livery on February 8, during a television advert for the Super Bowl.

READ MORE: The 2026 F1 grid, ranked entirely on vibes

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