Verstappen happy to see old teammate Perez returning to F1

Max Verstappen congratulated former Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez as soon as he heard the Mexican had secured a Formula One comeback with newcomers Cadillac next season, he revealed on Thursday.

Perez partnered the four-time world champion at Red Bull from 2021 to 2024 but left after a dramatic drop in form. The 35-year-old's return, alongside Valtteri Bottas, with the 2026 debutants was announced on Tuesday.

"I quickly, when I saw the news come out, sent a message to him," Verstappen told reporters ahead of his home Dutch Grand Prix.

"I'm of course very happy for him that he got a seat. He's a great guy and we've always got along very well. I'm happy to see him back on the grid.

"How he's going to perform, I think, will also depend on how good the car is going to be... but it's a new opportunity and I'm sure he's very excited for it."

Perez, a six-time race winner, was championship runner-up to Verstappen in 2023 but slumped to eighth in 2024 when his teammate clinched his fourth title in a row.

His successors Liam Lawson, who lasted two races, and Yuki Tsunoda have also struggled in a team where Verstappen is the clear No 1 and the car tuned to his taste.

Since Perez left, Verstappen has won two races and scored 187 points, but his teammates only adding seven with Tsunoda having a best result of sixth in the Miami sprint and ninth in regular grands prix.

Verstappen said Perez now had the chance to make a fresh start with the sport's 11th team.

"I think also from his side, just one half of the season doesn't define what you can do, right? I think he's also quite easy in that. Some people maybe dwell on it a bit more," he added.

"He has shown a lot of great things even before he got to Red Bull, during the Red Bull time. He just needs to go in there and enjoy it again and have a good time."