F1 star Sergio Perez reveals Mercedes transfer foiled by Lewis Hamilton switch

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

Sergio Perez reveals Mercedes transfer foiled by Lewis Hamilton switch

Sergio Perez started out at Sauber before moving to McLaren

Originally written by Sam Cook. This version is a translation.

Monday 12 January 2026 19:00

Cadillac F1 racer Sergio Perez has revealed that he could have ended up at Mercedes, had a Lewis Hamilton switch not have ruined it for him.

Perez previously raced in the sport between 2011-2024, before being axed by his Red Bull team at the end of that season for poor performance.

Perez is returning to F1 in 2026 in a full-time seat with the new Cadillac outfit, where he will partner 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.

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.

F1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Sergio Perez