
Former Red Bull Director Backs Sergio Perez for F1 Return
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Red Bull's former sporting director, Jonathan Wheatley, has praised former driver Sergio Perez, backing him for a Formula One return in the future. Wheatley worked closely with Perez at Red Bull and revealed how they motivated each other to push themselves further.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit ousted Perez after the 2024 season due to performance concerns. The Mexican driver struggled with the RB20 car due to balance problems, which even affected his teammate Max Verstappen following the summer break.
Despite the car's issues, Verstappen's talent behind the wheel enabled him to win his fourth championship, but Perez found the car too difficult to drive. Now, Perez has chosen to remain away from premier class of racing but is reportedly in talks with the Cadillac F1 team for 2026.
The 35-year-old driver revealed that he was interested in returning to the sport only if he believed in the project. Wheatley opened up to F1 about Perez's performance, revealing that he had no doubts about his capabilities as a racing driver. He said:
Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage prior to the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on November 30, 2024...
Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage prior to the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on November 30, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. More"Firstly, I really enjoyed working with Checo. He's a great personality, great attitude to life, full stop.
"I have no doubt about his pace and his speed. It's been natural since the beginning.
"He put in some tremendous drives at my former team and I don't think it's much of a barrier that he's had a bit of time off between driving a Formula 1 car because when you know how to do that, you know how to do it."
Wheatley then detailed how Perez pushed him during his time at Red Bull, which made him better at his job. The former sporting director's expertise led him to secure the role of team principal at Sauber, an outfit that will be taken over by Audi in 2026. Wheatley said:
"I spent a lot of time with him early on because I wanted to get to know him and I wanted him to adjust to the team. What I really liked was he pushed me in my sporting role – pushed me very, very hard.
"He made me question whether I was putting every bit of effort in, not that he was criticising but he would challenge you in a positive way and I enjoyed it.
"I think it helped motivate me to become better at my job and I'd like to think maybe it was reciprocal and the work that we did together made him better at his."
He added:
"He's fully focused on performance and what do you want from a driver?"
With Cadillac seeking an experienced driver to fill one of its seats next year, Perez could likely seal a deal in the coming months if he is shortlisted.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
9 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Former F1 CEO Shares Candid Advice with Max Verstappen Amid Mercedes Links
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone has handed important advice to Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen amid speculation about his potential move to the Mercedes F1 team. Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season, but several factors hint at a move to Mercedes, especially given Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff's inclination to have him on the team. The four-time world champion has been facing challenges with Red Bull's RB21 F1 car, managing just two race wins in the first ten races this year, a stark contrast to his seven Grand Prix wins in the same span in 2024. Notably, issues with Red Bull's title challenger began last year, leading the team to finish third in the 2024 Constructors' Championship. Verstappen won his fourth title, but given McLaren's superior performance, the chances of the Dutch driver securing his fifth title this year are lower. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone talks with Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing and Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Red Bull Racing before the United States Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit of The... F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone talks with Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing and Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Red Bull Racing before the United States Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on October 23, 2016 in Austin, United States. MoreAdditionally, the sudden exit of former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has added a layer of uncertainty to the team's future prospects, as F1 enters a new era of regulations in 2026. Red Bull will roll out its own power unit for the first time next year, which is being developed in collaboration with Ford under the Red Bull Powertrains banner. With Mercedes being a proven power unit supplier in the premier class of motorsport, the Brackley-based outfit could seem like a more reliable option for Verstappen. However, the 27-year-old driver stated a few weeks ago, before Horner's exit, that he was loyal to Red Bull and would stay with the team. But after Horner's departure, who was replaced by former Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies, it remains to be seen whether Verstappen's preference to stay at Red Bull continues. Given the reports of Verstappen's ongoing talks with Mercedes, as claimed by George Russell a few weeks ago, Ecclestone has asked Verstappen to do what makes him happy. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, as quoted by Planet F1, he said: "I think he should be where he's happy. "And wherever it's going to be, as long as he's happy, he'll still be able to perform the way he's performing now, because he's not a guy that messes around, is he? I mean, very straightforward on what he says and what he does." The 94-year-old F1 supremo then revealed that Verstappen should stay at Red Bull. He said: "I'd like to see him stay where he is."
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Atletico Madrid reaches deal to sign Argentina international Thiago Almada
MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid has reached an agreement to sign Argentina international Thiago Almada from Brazilian club Botafogo. Atletico said Tuesday the 24-year-old attacking midfielder, who was playing on loan with French club Lyon, will sign his contract with the Spanish club after passing a medical. Advertisement Atletico did not disclose the transfer fee or give details on the length of the contract. Spanish media said the transfer was worth about 25 million euros ($29 million), with Botafogo receiving a percentage of a possible future transfer to another club. Almada arrives after forward Ángel Correa left Atletico to sign with Mexican club Tigres. He'll join an attack that includes countryman Julián Álvarez, Antoine Griezmann and Alexander Sorloth. Atletico had already boosted its squad by signing midfielder Álex Baena from Villarreal and 22-year-old Italian left back Matteo Ruggeri from Atalanta. Diego Simeone's team finished third in the Spanish league last season, behind Real Madrid and champion Barcelona. It was eliminated in the group stage of the Club World Cup. ___ AP soccer: The Associated Press


USA Today
19 minutes ago
- USA Today
Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze finally stops excuses but is he ready for expectations?
Hugh Freeze has proven himself a virtuoso in the excuse-making arts, but he shelved those abilities at SEC media days and welcomed expectations for Auburn. What Hugh Freeze didn't say became more notable than what he said. The Auburn coach didn't call for patience. He didn't become defensive when asked about the amount of golf he played this offseason. He didn't blame his predecessor for Auburn's 2024 record. Freeze has proven himself a virtuoso in the excuse-making arts throughout his career, but he shelved those abilities Tuesday during his turn in the spotlight at SEC media days. Good. There's no stomach for a coach's excuses in Year 3, anyway. Auburn fans are starved for success after four consecutive losing seasons. So, Freeze might as well vow to deliver results, because that's the only path forward for an embattled coach whose buyout is cheaper than most in the SEC. 'I love this team,' Freeze said from the stage in Atlanta. Earlier this offseason, Freeze said on a Birmingham-based podcast that he's 'no fool' and he knows Auburn must make a bowl game. Excuse me? That comment made Freeze sound like a fool. A third-year coach with an 11-14 record at Auburn, with losses to New Mexico State, California and Vanderbilt, can't think of the Gasparilla Bowl as a safe space. Freeze changed his tune at SEC media days. He talked as if the College Football Playoff is within reach. 'I truly believe that, in the playoff run, we're going to be in this discussion,' Freeze said. 'That is what Auburn should be, in those talks, year in, year out.' For the past several years, there's been more talk of hot seats at Auburn than the playoff, for which the Tigers never have qualified. Auburn's best postseason triumph since the playoff's inception came at the Music City Bowl during the Guz Malzahn era. Auburn cast itself into a pit by making one of the worst college football hires of the 21st century by anointing Bryan Harsin to replace Malzahn. Harsin, an interloper from Boise State, strutted in with a tough-guy attitude. He quickly lost portions of the locker room, and he failed to recruit the type of athletes he'd need to thrive in the SEC. He proved a massive bust. I can say that. Freeze shouldn't, because, no matter how poorly Harsin fared at Auburn, a third-year coach can't cast his program's shortcomings onto his predecessor's shoulders. Not in the SEC, and certainly not in this era when fixes are found in the transfer portal and improvement is possible in leaps, not baby steps, early in a coach's tenure. Auburn showed little improvement throughout Freeze's first two seasons. Auburn's 22 turnovers and an inability to finish games strongly contributed to the Tigers finishing 5-7 last year, when 8-4 was possible. Freeze's recruiting haul buoyed some belief in a brighter future, no matter the on-field results, until recruiting stalled this offseason. Auburn's 2026 class ranks last in the SEC. Freeze offered a feeble explanation earlier this month when asked about the recruiting ranking. Enough already. Athletic director John Cohen promised a big August for recruiting. We'll see. Regardless, recruiting can't be the only thing propping up a third-year coach at a program that last tasted more than six victories in a time before any of us had ever heard the word 'coronavirus.' Instituting a turnaround will require more fortitude and fewer flubs in close-game situations, but Freeze also improved the puzzle pieces. Auburn's bundle of key transfer acquisitions included wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (Georgia Tech) and offensive tackles Xavier Chaplin (Virginia Tech) and Mason Murphy (Southern California). Freeze described this team's potential as 'limitless.' 'We absolutely want the expectations,' Freeze said, 'and this team deserves them.' Looking at Auburn's schedule, I can talk myself into the Tigers achieving a much better record. So much hinges, though, on quarterback improvement. Auburn transitioned to Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, a former five-star recruit who didn't live up to the billing with the Sooners. Oklahoma's shoddy pass protection and numerous wide receiver injuries didn't help Arnold's cause. From Freeze's vantage point, Arnold fits 'everything that I believe in doing offensively.' Here again, I say, we'll see. 'I've seen (Arnold's) swagger and confidence come back pretty quickly,' Freeze said. That attitude must spread throughout the roster – and to the head coach. At least the excuses and downplaying of expectations dried up Tuesday. Neither will serve Freeze well at this juncture. Only wins can save him. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.