The Mexican driver of Cadillac, ahead of his return to the track during a private test at Imola, discusses the goals of the American team.
Sergio Pérez is about to return to Formula 1 after a forced one-year break in 2025, following his departure from Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season. The Mexican driver, now on track at Imola for Cadillac in a fully black Ferrari SF-23, has claimed six victories and built a career filled with podium finishes.
He reached the podium with every team he drove for, including Sauber, Force India, Racing Point and Red Bull, except for McLaren, where his stint was shorter and less productive. This return marks a new chapter for Pérez, who at almost 36 years old sees Cadillac as an opportunity to continue competing at the highest level.
Sergio Pérez is fully immersed in the preparation work of the American outfit. He visited the team’s base in Charlotte and spent time in the General Motors simulator to refine his skills. He will drive a black Ferrari SF-23 at the Imola circuit for a two-day test, his first contact with an F1 car since the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi. The Mexican also had a brief past in Maranello as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Beyond maintaining his physical condition, the test is designed to strengthen his connection with the team’s engineers and mechanics. Sergio Pérez commented humorously in an interview with Reuters: “I’m curious to see how many laps my neck will last before it gets destroyed,” referring to the physical challenge of returning to an F1 cockpit. He then added: “It’s an opportunity to meet with the engineers, the mechanics, to start working together, to start speaking the same language.” These sessions are crucial to aligning Pérez’s feedback with the development direction of the car.
Goal number one: the podium, according to Sergio Pérez
Sergio Pérez is optimistic about Cadillac’s potential to fight for a podium in the near future. He stated: “Yes, I think so. I really believe it… I’ve achieved the podium with every team I’ve raced for, except McLaren. I think we’ll start from the back, progressing step by step. But ultimately, in the near future, the podium is a goal. It doesn’t matter who gets it, as long as it is Cadillac.”
He acknowledges that the debut might place the team at the bottom of the grid, but he underlines Cadillac’s commitment to quick development. Checo praised the financial strength of Cadillac, contrasting it with the typical struggles of new entrants: “Normally, the new teams that have arrived in the past have always struggled financially, and this is a team that comes seriously and comes to do things in the best way and to win. Cadillac is here for big things.” The ambition is to target podiums as soon as possible, despite the challenges ahead.
Cadillac: long-term prospects
Cadillac will be the first new team to enter Formula 1 in a decade, after Haas, another American outfit that has not been a front-running presence in ten seasons. However, Cadillac’s arrival coincides with a new regulatory era, with smaller and lighter cars and an innovative power unit that theoretically levels the playing field.
Sergio Pérez remains focused on the long-term potential: “It doesn’t matter where we start, but how quickly we will be able to develop and progress. How the team works weekend after weekend.” The team aims to make a significant impact from the first year, leveraging General Motors’ resources to accelerate development and compete for top positions.
Sergio Pérez’s return with Cadillac represents not only a personal opportunity for the Mexican to extend his record of podium finishes but also the launch of an ambitious project that aims to redefine how American teams enter Formula 1. With meticulous preparation, an experienced line-up and vast resources, Cadillac is positioned to turn expectations into tangible results. Pérez, motivated and confident, sees the team as the ideal platform for new achievements, targeting podiums that would celebrate the rise of the American squad.
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