F1 Today | 'Sergio Perez will come back to F1 in 2026', 'Perfect' teammate for Verstappen revealed

Carlos Slim says Sergio Pérez will return to Formula 1 in 2026. After Red Bull dropped him in 2024 and with no seat for 2025, Checo is taking a gap year—Red Bull paid out his contract for €13 million. According to Slim, the Mexican driver is training hard and weighing his options. For Slim, it’s not if Pérez returns—it’s where.

The most likely option seems to be Cadillac, who join the grid in 2026 and want a North American face to front their F1 project. They’ve already acknowledged Pérez is on their radar. Alpine is another possibility, especially with Franco Colapinto underperforming. Flavio Briatore could opt for experience if the Argentine fails to deliver.

Ralf Schumacher thinks Nico Hülkenberg could be a great fit as Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull. On the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher said that the two drivers get along well, and he believes Verstappen would respect Hülkenberg more than some of his former teammates. With both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda struggling to impress at Red Bull in 2025, the idea of bringing in someone more experienced is gaining traction.

Hülkenberg’s value lies in his feedback and consistency, something Schumacher says is making a real difference at Sauber. While Tsunoda currently ranks among Verstappen’s weakest teammates statistically, even Sergio Pérez—despite his recent criticism—performed more solidly over a full season. If Red Bull is looking for a reliable second driver who won’t rock the boat but can still deliver, Hülkenberg might be the most stable option on the table.

The former F1 driver also believes, McLaren are suffocating Norris and, has given the Briton an advice of his own: don't listen to Nico Rosberg.