F1 newcomer Cadillac: Sergio Pérez explains what needs to be done

The 2026 season presents a major challenge for all Formula 1 teams, as the sweeping rule changes introduced this year have forced even the most experienced World Championship contenders to break new ground. For one team in the field, however, the task is far greater. This is because the Cadillac team is competing in its first season in the top flight this year as the eleventh team on the grid.

As expected, the track record of the US team led by Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss is modest. In the first eleven rounds of the World Championship, the experienced Cadillac drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez have yet to score a single point. The pair occupy the bottom two places in the World Championship standings. Their best Grand Prix result so far was Bottas’s 13th place in Shanghai.

The team experienced so many reliability issues that Towriss felt compelled to take action. He promptly replaced the team principal: Graeme Lowdon, who helped build the team from the ground up, had to leave; his successor is Marcin Budkowski, who will already be in action at Zandvoort. The Polish engineer has his work cut out to get the US team back on track.

Sergio Pérez: All processes need to be reviewed

And Pérez knows what needs to change for the team to take the next step. “We’ve struggled a great deal with further development. I think, basically, we haven’t had any opportunity yet to develop the car further. We therefore obviously need to rethink all our processes and find a way to become stronger in development,” says the driver from Guadalajara.

The 36-year-old Mexican, who has already competed in 292 Grand Prix races, knows: “In Formula 1, it’s all about development, and that’s exactly where I see a weak point for us at the moment. As a new team, we haven’t achieved as much in this area as we would have liked.”

Topic of the week

Topic of the week: Aprilia comeback? The truth is: Aprilia never went away!

Four weeks ago, Aprilia headed into the summer break from Germany with a badly injured Marco Bezzecchi. The response came from the heart of British motor racing: ‘Together we are strong!’

Read more

TV program

Live

Zandvoort: 1. Freies Training

FIA Formula One World Championship

21.08.2026 - 12:15

Pérez also makes no secret of the fact that he had hoped for more from his team. “Yes, of course,” is his answer to the question. “We’re just a bit too far off,” he adds dryly. At the same time, he notes: “The good thing is that there are very clear areas we need to improve, and once we’ve found the right solutions, we should soon be showing better performance.”