TREMAYNE: Perez’s F1 return is just what Mexico's passionate fans deserve – now he must prove he’s still their golden one

Will we all owe Sergio Perez apologies next year when he returns to Formula 1 with Cadillac after that disappointing and apparently career-destroying 2024 season alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull?

It’s not easy to think of a greater fall from competitive grace. After all, Checo, having joined the F1 grid in 2011 with Sauber, went on to race for McLaren and Force India/Racing Point, winning his final race for the latter in Sakhir.

And though he owed that to Mercedes’ mix-up with George Russell’s tyres, we all cheered and thought it ridiculous that, as it appeared initially, a man who had finally taken the win he so deserved might actually be without a drive after Lawrence Stroll revamped Racing Point into Aston Martin and employed Sebastian Vettel as his lead driver.