Sergio Perez's latest sponsor advert accused of being AI-generated

A new Sergio Perez energy drink ad is drawing fire after fans spotted bizarre visual glitches that suggest it was AI-generated. The flap comes as the Mexican fights to rehabilitate his reputation at Cadillac, insisting his recent rebound proves he never lost the elite pace that delivered wins for Red Bull.

Why it matters:

The incident exposes the risks of replacing authentic production with artificial intelligence in Formula 1 marketing. For Perez, it also underscores a larger battle: convincing the paddock that his late Red Bull slump was driven by circumstances, not a collapse in skill.

The details:

• Viewers flagged multiple oddities in the H20 Power spot, including an apparent duplicate Perez in a crowd scene, cyclists morphing into runners, and a cracked can mysteriously sealing itself shut.
• A marketer on Reddit noted that while creatives often recognize poor AI output, executives push the technology for perceived savings—even though manual fixes usually erase any efficiency gains.
• Speaking ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Perez said his post-Red Bull performances confirm his speed never vanished. He argued that machinery and environment dictate results, adding that his current qualifying and race form validates his self-belief.

Between the lines:

Perez is carefully constructing a redemption narrative at Cadillac, framing his previous struggles as environmental rather than evidence of declining ability. If his results hold, he could rewrite the final chapter of his career. The advert fiasco, meanwhile, is a blunt reminder that in an image-driven sport, fans still value authenticity over algorithmic shortcuts.