Formulation 1 veteran says his suggestions is “rather more appreciated” on the Cadillac staff than it was at Pink Bull.
Perez received his large break in a prime staff at Pink Bull from 2021 to 2024, having beforehand spent 10 years in midfield equipment at Sauber, and Pressure India/Racing Level.
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The Mexican collected three pole positions and 29 podiums together with 5 victories over these 4 years, and was nearer to team-mate than anybody has been since a decade in the past. Nonetheless, he struggled to match the Dutchman and misplaced his seat after his efficiency collapsed all through the 2024 marketing campaign in an especially difficult RB20 automobile.
Perez then spent 2025 on the sidelines earlier than he joined F1’s latest staff, Cadillac, for 2026 – alongside one other seasoned racer, .
“Undoubtedly the final six months of my journey with Pink Bull have been robust in all areas. I actually felt like I wanted a break,” the Mexican confessed.
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Sergio Perez, Pink Bull Racing
Sergio Perez, Pink Bull Racing
“I may see issues that for the surface weren’t seen. They turned extra seen after I left, after all. I had a good time additionally with Pink Bull.
“For me, it is simply getting again and actually having fun with my time with Cadillac. I am actually trying ahead to this journey collectively. I feel there are quite a lot of guarantees throughout. It is a lengthy undertaking, an extended shot. However I consider that this may be one thing very profitable, and being a part of one thing new offers me that motivation.”
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Requested by Motorsport if he already felt that his suggestions was in a different way appreciated and valued than it was at Pink Bull alongside Verstappen, the 36-year-old replied: “Undoubtedly, I can see the best way that the automobile is being developed and the best way we’re pushing forwards in the identical course, it clearly helps. And I really feel that, undoubtedly, clearly, my suggestions is rather more appreciated.”
Cadillac: Perez made our want for expertise “come alive”
Talking on the Past The Grid podcast which was launched on Wednesday and recorded over the Australian Grand Prix weekend, Cadillac F1 staff CEO Dan Towriss emphasised how essential expertise was when selecting the nascent outfit’s drivers.
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“That makes quite a lot of sense,” Towriss stated. “It is very logical. Checo made that come alive within the interview, when you stated, ‘What does expertise imply?’. So to listen to him discuss a number of the issues that he thinks he would expertise as a part of the staff, doing this for the primary time, and what he anticipated and what he would do and the way he would deal with this example – he simply made that come alive.
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
“And you actually received to begin to see we actually do want somebody skilled who can deal with the ups and downs with being a first-year staff, is aware of what the automobile ought to really feel like, and offers that course from a improvement standpoint.
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“And I’ll say, it was set towards the backdrop of the [2025] British Grand Prix, which you’ll keep in mind was raining and messy – the skilled drivers rose to the highest of that as properly – so within the backdrop of expertise actually being key.”
Requested if Perez’ expertise at small groups punching above their weight, like Pressure India, was interesting too, Towriss performed it down: “You recognize, not a lot. I feel it is actually simply the experience, the precise observe report and the data that he would convey to the staff.
“And look, I’d say the identical for Valtteri as properly – to not pair one expertise towards the opposite. I feel in each drivers, you have received that. And it is slightly bit totally different when it comes to what they bring about.
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Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing, Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing, Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
“They usually’ve delivered thus far. Via the testing in Barcelona, by the testing in Bahrain, they wanted to be affected person at occasions as working by first 12 months kinks within the staff. And in some instances, it was simply because these new automobiles are very difficult and there is a lot to work by there.
“And I feel their capability to be affected person and let it come to them, present course and pull issues collectively has simply been instrumental by these weeks.”
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Nonetheless, coming again to the world championship after a 12 months away from racing isn’t simple, however that was no concern for Towriss, who possible was talking forward of the particular observe motion at Albert Park.
“I feel they’ve sufficient expertise to select up the place [they] left off. Clearly, rather a lot is altering this 12 months. And once more, having the ability to adapt to that, I feel their expertise is simply going to be key,” he concluded.
Cadillac’s F1 debut arguably was difficult in Melbourne, with the MAC-26s the slowest automobiles in qualifying. Bottas retired early resulting from a gasoline system drawback after encountering a steering wheel situation, whereas Perez raced to sixteenth; he was the final labeled driver, three laps down.
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