Sergio Perez believes his comeback with Cadillac has demonstrated he remains “one of the best” drivers in Formula 1, as he reflects on his encouraging performances since returning to the grid in 2026. After a year on the sidelines following his Red Bull exit, Perez joined Cadillac’s new F1 project alongside Valtteri Bottas and has quickly made his mark.
Despite the American team starting at the back of the grid, recent upgrades—particularly at the Miami Grand Prix—have seen Cadillac edge into the midfield battle. Perez showcased aggressive racecraft in Canada, narrowly missing out on Q2 in Sprint Qualifying and climbing to 11th in the Sprint before a post-race penalty. He was running well in the Grand Prix itself until a suspension failure forced his retirement while battling Haas’ Esteban Ocon.
“I’m very happy with my performances,” Perez said after the race. “I’m happy I came back and have proven to myself that I’m one of the best out there. That to me is really nice, and I’m very happy with the level of driving I’m doing.”
Perez praised Cadillac’s recent progress but called for improvements in operational execution after reliability issues affected both his and Bottas’ sessions. “I’m impatient at the moment with the operational side. I think it’s something that we have to improve, and we’re in a massive hurry, because we’re not maximising the result.”
With the European season ahead and Monaco looming, Perez is optimistic: “Monaco is Monaco. It’s a one-off, so hopefully we can be really strong there.”
