Perez: Last place would be 'biggest blow' for Cadillac in debut F1 season

Sergio Perez has warned that finishing last in the 2026 season would be a major disappointment for the new Cadillac F1 Team, despite acknowledging the immense challenge ahead. The Mexican driver, partnering Valtteri Bottas for the American outfit's debut, stressed the team's significant investment means a last-place finish is not an acceptable outcome, even if fighting for the championship is unrealistic.

Why it matters:

Cadillac's entry represents a major expansion for Formula 1 in the key American market and a test of whether a new manufacturer can quickly establish competitiveness. A debut season at the very back of the grid would be a significant setback for the brand's global motorsport prestige and could impact long-term commitment, making early progress crucial for perception and morale.

The details:

• Mindset and Investment: Perez explicitly stated the team is not entering with a "last-place" mindset, citing the substantial level of investment as the reason for higher expectations.
• Realistic Goals: While ruling out a title challenge, Perez outlined the team's primary objective is to "make a lot of progress and beat a couple of teams" during the season.
• Early Testing Pace: During the first pre-season test in Barcelona, Cadillac was among the slowest teams, only ahead of an Aston Martin squad that arrived late and completed minimal mileage, highlighting the scale of the initial challenge.
• Brand Launch: The team garnered significant attention by unveiling a striking black-and-white split livery during the Super Bowl, a culturally significant event in the U.S., signaling its ambition to make a bold entry.

What's next:

The pressure is now on Cadillac to translate its investment and ambition into on-track performance. The early testing data suggests a steep development curve is required to escape the rear of the grid.

• The team will need to show clear, incremental progress throughout the 2026 season to validate its project and build a foundation for the future.
• All eyes will be on whether the partnership of experienced drivers Perez and Bottas can help accelerate the car's development and secure points finishes, which would be a critical success metric for the debut season.