Sergio Pérez has analyzed his experience during the last six months at Red Bull, considering this period as “toxic” and reflecting on the pressure generated by the team’s successes.
After four seasons alongside Max Verstappen, the Mexican driver contributed to a dominant era for the Milton Keynes team. However, in a recent appearance on the podcast High Performance, Pérez exposed the psychological impact that his time at Red Bull had on him, especially in the last few months.
“My last six months at Red Bull were very hard, even for me, who consider myself mentally strong. They were very, very difficult, and I would say toxic. I really wanted a break, so the year off came at the right time,” he commented.
Pérez, 36, was replaced at Red Bull by Liam Lawson ahead of the 2025 season. Lawson participated with Verstappen in the first two races of the season before ceding his seat to Yuki Tsunoda and returning to Racing Bulls.
During his time with Red Bull, the team achieved two constructors’ titles in 2022 and 2023, while Verstappen won four consecutive drivers’ championships. Pérez pointed out that high internal competition led to tensions, although he described his years with the team as “fantastic”.
“The pressure among all team members was high. We had too much success, and people got bored, resulting in internal fights. I conclude four incredible years, but I felt I needed a change,” he added.
The driver was unsure about his return to Formula 1 after leaving Red Bull: “When I left, I really thought it could be the last time I competed, and I accepted it. Now, although I am grateful, I would not return to F1 at any price.”
Pérez has signed with Cadillac, the team that will join the championship in 2026, alongside former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
