After a year on the sidelines, Sergio “Checo” Perez is officially back on the grid for the 2026 season, spearheading the entry of the all-new Cadillac team. The Guadalajara native returns to the sport with a chip on his shoulder and a fresh opportunity to step out of the shadows. For years, Perez played the dutiful supporting role to Max Verstappen at Red Bull, contributing to championship campaigns while adding five victories to his personal tally. Now, paired with the similarly experienced Valtteri Bottas, the 36-year-old has the chance to lead development and shine on his own terms rather than purely as a wingman. Perez’s reputation in the paddock has always been one of duality. On one hand, he is a punchy combatant, a driver never afraid to wrestle his way through the midfield with aggression that has occasionally singed even his own teammates. On the other, he remains one of the sport’s premier “smooth operators,” possessing an analytical mind for tire management that allows him to extend stints well beyond the expected window. This unique skillset, honed during tenures at Sauber, McLaren, Force India, and Racing Point, makes him a vital asset for Cadillac as they look to establish a foothold in the sport. A Historic Career Reset Statistically, Perez remains the most successful Mexican driver in Formula 1 history. He has amassed 1,638 career points, 39 podiums, and six race wins—the first of which, a stunning recovery drive at Sakhir in 2020, matched the legacy of his compatriot and hero, Pedro Rodríguez. That victory was the catalyst that originally landed him the Red Bull seat. While his 2026 stats currently sit at zero across the board, the clean slate with an American manufacturer marks a significant new chapter for the veteran. Verstappen’s American Detour While his former teammate acclimates to the Cadillac garage, reigning four-time world champion Max Verstappen has been deepening Red Bull’s ties with their new technical partner, Ford. In a promotional event near Las Vegas, Verstappen swapped his open-wheel machinery for a Ford Mustang Gen3 prepared by Triple Eight Engineering. The car, built to Australian V8 Supercars specifications, allowed the Dutchman to indulge his well-documented passion for GT and endurance racing. Under the watchful eye of former Red Bull driver and full-time Ford ambassador Daniel Ricciardo, Verstappen faced off against Arvid Lindblad. The young rookie, who was behind the wheel of a 2025 Mustang GT3, is preparing for his own trial by fire: his Formula 1 debut with Racing Bulls at the Australian Grand Prix on March 8. Verstappen’s test run adds him to a growing list of F1 talent, including Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, and Esteban Ocon, who have sampled the visceral Australian touring car hardware. Eyeing Mount Panorama The Las Vegas exhibition has inevitably reignited speculation about Verstappen eventually competing in the Bathurst 1000, the crown jewel of the Supercars championship. While the 2026 calendar rules this out—the race at Mount Panorama falls on the same October weekend as the Singapore Grand Prix—the idea is not entirely far-fetched for the future. Skeptics might argue that the unforgiving, concrete-lined nature of the Mount Panorama circuit presents too much risk for a sitting Formula 1 world champion. However, Verstappen enjoys significant freedom within the Red Bull organization regarding his extracurricular racing. Just last autumn, amidst a title defense, he competed in and won the Nürburgring 4 Hours in a Ferrari 296 GT3. Considering the Nordschleife carries a danger profile similar to, if not greater than, the mountain at Bathurst, a future appearance Down Under seems less like a fantasy and more a question of logistical timing.