New Delhi, Aug. 29 -- Max Verstappen says he's happy to see his old teammate Sergio Perez back for a "fresh start" in Formula 1 and that his experience will be a major asset to the new Cadillac team in 2026.

Cadillac picked the experienced duo of Perez and former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas to join the grid as the 11th team next year, even though neither has a race seat in 2025.

"When I saw the news come out, I sent a message to him. I'm of course very happy for him that he got a seat," Verstappen said on Thursday ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.

The four-time world champion dismissed suggestions that Perez's disappointing end to his time at Red Bull last year - when he was dropped after poor results - could still affect the Mexican ...