Perez signs Cadillac deal to 2029 but rules himself out of 2027 team-mate decision

Sergio Perez has signed a new contract with Cadillac that keeps him on the Formula 1 grid until the end of 2029, with the deal confirmed ahead of his home race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez — a weekend that will also mark his 300th F1 start.

The Mexican spent 2024 on the sidelines after leaving Red Bull, but his return with the debutant Cadillac squad is now secured for the long term. Despite that commitment, Perez was emphatic that decisions over his future team-mate are not his to make. “No, not at all,” he said when asked whether he would be involved in those discussions. “I don’t want to, either, because that’s not my decision. That’s why we have someone like Marcin, who will be looking at all the data and information, and he will ultimately make that decision based on what he thinks is best for the future of the team.”

The identity of that team-mate remains unresolved. Current partner Valtteri Bottas has publicly denied his seat is under threat, but team principal Marcin Budkowski declined to confirm the existing pairing would continue into next season when speaking at the United States GP. Perez acknowledged the difficulty of the call, pointing to Bottas’s strong pace in Austin as evidence there is no straightforward answer.

Americam reserve driver Colton Herta will take over Bottas’s car for Friday practice in Mexico City as he works to accumulate the FIA superlicence points needed to race in F1. Herta moved from IndyCar to F2 with Hitech this year and, despite a difficult season, his prior results in the United States mean practice outings can help him reach the required threshold.

Perez offered a measured endorsement of the 25-year-old’s contribution. “I think he’s doing a good job. He’s bringing good feedback to the team and good information, which is all we need from him,” he said. “Doing FP1s is always very difficult to show your speed or the level you’re at. But now I think he’s having more time in the car and in the simulator, so we’re starting to see more of his speed.”

On his own new deal, Perez framed the Cadillac project as a challenge that extends well beyond lap times, noting that his responsibilities with a team still finding its feet in the sport go beyond “driving as fast as possible”. He stressed that the coming months will be critical for the squad’s development. “The next three or four months are really crucial in our preparation,” he said.