Sergio Perez has identified Cadillac’s straight-line performance as one of its biggest weaknesses after another difficult Formula 1 weekend at Monza. The Mexican said the scale of the deficit was particularly frustrating because Cadillac’s cornering pace was much closer to that of its rivals, while new components and the next Ferrari engine are expected to help address the problem.
Excluding the drivers who retired from the Italian Grand Prix – with Charles Leclerc crashing heavily into the barriers at the exit of the Alboreto corner and both Aston Martins stopping with technical problems – the two Cadillacs were once again the last cars to reach the chequered flag. Sergio Perez finished 18th, with Valtteri Bottas behind him as the only driver to finish two laps behind the winner.
Sergio Perez frustrated by Cadillac’s straight-line deficit at Monza
The result once again highlighted the scale of the challenge facing Cadillac in its first Formula 1 season. The American team has yet to score a point in the Constructors’ Championship, and the arrival of a new team principal has not yet produced a visible improvement in results.
Cadillac had already introduced its biggest upgrade package of the 2026 season in Austria, but Monza proved another extremely difficult weekend for both drivers.
“It was a very difficult race for us,” Sergio Perez said. “We were losing a lot of time on the straights, which made it extremely difficult to fight with the cars around us. Our pace in the corners was much closer to the others, so it was frustrating to see such a big difference on the straights.”
“We should receive some components that will help us on the straights and with the next Ferrari engine. The team is working hard to get everything in place as soon as possible and hopefully that will put us in a much stronger position for the next races.”
Cadillac hopes new components can improve its straight-line performance
Monza’s long straights made Cadillac’s weakness particularly costly. Sergio Perez’s comments suggest the problem was not simply a general lack of performance, as the car was considerably more competitive relative to its rivals through the corners.
The focus is therefore on improving the areas that are costing Cadillac most heavily, with new components expected to arrive and further help anticipated from the next Ferrari engine. Any progress will be important for a team that remains without a point in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Valtteri Bottas sees encouraging signs despite difficult second stint
Unlike Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas preferred to focus on one positive aspect of the race, even though the improvement only lasted for part of the Grand Prix.
“I think the first stint of the race was one of the most positive so far. We felt like we were fighting with the Williams for a long time, but unfortunately in the second stint we lost a lot of time,” Valtteri Bottas explained.
“We had a slow pit stop that put us into blue-flag territory, which made it difficult to find a rhythm and ultimately compromised our race. We had a much calmer weekend, which allowed us to focus on improving the details rather than fixing problems.”
“Our race pace seemed slightly better compared with the previous Grands Prix and we finished with both cars, so we are making progress.”
That provided at least some encouragement from an otherwise difficult Italian Grand Prix. Cadillac’s race pace appears to be moving gradually in the right direction, but Sergio Perez’s assessment made clear where one of the most important remaining deficits lies: the team still needs substantially better performance on the straights if it is to fight more consistently with the cars around it.
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