Perez Confident Cadillac Will Surprise F1 Grid, Targets Strong Results by 2026

Sergio Perez has expressed strong confidence that the new Cadillac F1 team will surprise its competitors, setting an ambitious goal to fight for strong positions soon after its 2026 debut. The Mexican driver, who will partner Valtteri Bottas, believes the experienced personnel and long-term vision of the American manufacturer will lead to rapid progress on track.

Why it matters:

The entry of Cadillac, backed by General Motors, represents a significant expansion of the F1 grid and a major commitment from a historic American automotive brand. Perez's optimism, coming from a driver with extensive experience at a top team, provides early credibility to a project that will face immense challenges as a completely new constructor. His public confidence is crucial for team morale and attracting further talent.

The details:

• Perez highlighted his experienced teammate, Valtteri Bottas, as a key asset and a valuable reference point for his own performance within the new team structure.
• He acknowledged that building a competitive team "will take time" but emphasized that Cadillac is bringing in "people with a lot of experience" to accelerate the process.
• The team's stated goal is to quickly progress to fighting for "very good places" on the grid, indicating ambitions beyond simply making up the numbers.
• Perez's confidence was bolstered by a recent private test at Imola, where he drove a Ferrari SF-23 and completed 184 laps over two days.
  • He reported feeling "very competitive" and in strong physical shape, which he said gave him significant confidence heading into the pre-season.

What's next:

All focus is on the 2026 season opener at the Australian Grand Prix, where Cadillac will make its official F1 debut. The team will initially use a customer power unit before General Motors begins manufacturing its own engines from 2029 onwards. Perez's early pace in testing and public optimism set an interesting baseline, but the true measure of the project's ambition will be its performance against the established midfield from the very first race.