F1 star Sergio Perez glad he was fired

Red Bull

F1 star glad he was fired

Perez previously raced as Verstappen's team-mate.

By Kerry Violet.

Thursday 27 November 2025 21:00

Former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has revealed that he was glad Red Bull let him go last year.

The Mexican was second best to Max Verstappen and after a brutal run of poor performances, Red Bull took the decision to cut ties with Perez.

Checo will return in 2026 with Cadillac, as he looks to show that he still has what it takes to succeed in F1.

Perez: Red Bull sacking 'best thing' to happen for F1 career

A lot has changed over the past 12 months.

Horner is no longer Red Bull team principal, Lawson has been demoted back down to Racing Bulls, and Perez is set to return to the grid next season with Cadillac.

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Perez's stock has risen as a result of the struggles Lawson and Verstappen's current team-mate Yuki Tsunoda have endured, and now he will get to enjoy a fresh start at new team Cadillac where his experiences will prove valuable.

It seems Perez is not ignorant to the fact that he may not have had another chance in the sport if Red Bull hadn't sacked him, and in an interview with the Italian edition of Motorsport.com, the 35-year-old appeared grateful to have left.

“What happened with Red Bull, in the end, I knew it was the best thing that could have happened to me,” he admitted.

“And all the drivers who have arrived and those who will arrive will continue to have the same problems because it’s a very complex car to drive, where you have to constantly adapt to Verstappen’s style."

So is there any bad blood between Perez and the Dutchman? Far from it. In the same interview, the former Red Bull driver said: "I knew from day one that I had to be smart. I knew my role, I knew that this project had been developed for Verstappen."

“I think he will become the best driver in the history of the sport."

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Christian Horner Sergio Perez