Sergio Perez has lent some weight to a quietly intriguing prediction about Lewis Hamilton’s future — and his own — when Formula 1 resets in 2026.
Speaking on Sky’s The F1 Show, Perez was presented with an off-camera line from Cadillac F1 consultant Pat Symonds, relayed by reporter Craig Slater, that the 2026 regulations will suit Hamilton down to the ground. The newly signed Cadillac driver didn’t flinch at the idea.
“This era of ground-effect cars has been tricky,” Perez said. “But with Lewis, you’ve seen it — he did a tremendous job at Mercedes when they didn’t have a competitive car. For him, at the end of an era, to be changing teams and getting to adapt has been tricky. But he’s a fantastic driver. He’ll figure it out.”
Hamilton’s Ferrari switch for 2025 was billed as a blockbuster. So far, it’s a romance still waiting for its Hollywood moment. Charles Leclerc has shouldered Ferrari’s podiums — even snatching a shock pole in Hungary — while Hamilton remains stuck on zero rostrums in red. That second half of this season matters, but the real reset arrives with the 2026 chassis and power-unit overhaul, the kind of rules refresh that can flip the order and reopen every question we thought we’d answered.
Symonds’ hunch doesn’t just cover Hamilton. Perez was told the former F1 chief technical officer also believes the next-gen cars could flatter his own strengths. “I’ve done well in previous eras,” Perez said. “So yeah, I do expect the new regulations will suit my style.”
By then, Perez will be back on the grid with Cadillac, paired with Valtteri Bottas — Hamilton’s old wingman at Mercedes — as the American outfit makes its full-time entry. On paper, it’s a sensible opening day lineup: two veterans who know how to build a team’s foundations and won’t spook easily when the stopwatch bites.
“Definitely it’s going to work well,” Perez said of the partnership. “We’re both very competitive. We’ve seen it all in the sport as well, which definitely helps. But we’re very motivated to give feedback.”
Perez is taking 2025 off after his Red Bull exit, while Bottas remains embedded as Mercedes’ reserve. And Perez doesn’t sound remotely tempted by paddock cameos in the meantime. “I’m really happy to be out of the sport for a year,” he admitted. “I’m not looking forward to go to any races this year, to be honest. I’m happy to see them from the TV, because there’s a lot of races coming up for us in the next years.”
If Symonds is right, 2026 might hand Hamilton the car he’s been waiting for — and give Perez the platform to write a fresh chapter. The rest of the grid has been warned.
