Cadillac's F1 debut: how Pérez sees the path to competitiveness

After completing the final day of testing in Bahrain this Friday, Checo Pérez shared his first impressions of Cadillac’s project in Formula 1. During the morning session on February 20, the Mexican driver clocked a time of 1:40.842 after 61 laps, placing him tenth. Although his time was nearly 9 seconds behind the day’s best — 1:31.992 set by Charles Leclerc in Ferrari — Pérez was optimistic about the progress the team has made during these first tests of 2026.

The previous testing was divided into two blocks of three days each: February 11-13 and February 18-20, allowing Pérez and his teammate Valtteri Bottas to validate the car they will use during the upcoming season.

Pérez’s First Impressions on Cadillac’s Performance

After handing over the wheel to Bottas, the Guadalajara-born driver spoke with the press and expressed confidence in the work done so far. “The car’s balance feels good. I think we’ve achieved a balanced car,” Pérez said, highlighting the progressive improvements during each testing session.

The Mexican was clear about initial expectations: “We knew the start would be tough, but the important thing is how quickly we can improve from here.” This statement reflects Cadillac’s reality as a debuting team in Formula 1, with a vehicle in constant evolution and optimization.

Pérez also emphasized the importance of mileage. “We’re racking up a lot of laps, which is the most valuable thing for us at this stage,” he noted, recognizing that data collection is crucial for future development.

Cadillac’s Roadmap to Compete with the Big Teams

The challenge facing the American team is significant: reaching the competitive level of McLaren and Red Bull, who dominated recent seasons. According to Pérez, the team’s strategy is clear and ambitious.

“The challenge will be to develop faster than the teams ahead of us. That’s a huge challenge we’ll face throughout the year,” the Mexican explained. His vision includes establishing solid fundamentals in the first half of the season, then applying progressive improvements to accelerate performance growth.

“Hopefully, we can get closer soon,” Pérez added optimistically, though he acknowledged that implementing all departments in parallel “will take some time.” As a new team, Cadillac needs to validate internal processes while simultaneously pursuing competitive improvement.

Both Pérez and Bottas have contributed to identifying areas for improvement, information that the team is processing ahead of the season debut in Australia.

Data from the Final Day of Testing: Ferrari and Rivals at the Front

Friday’s session confirmed Charles Leclerc as the fastest driver of the entire testing period. The Ferrari car demonstrated consistency during an intensive session of long runs and race simulations.

Lando Norris in McLaren finished the afternoon session in second place, while Max Verstappen kept Red Bull among the front runners heading into the season. Mercedes experienced a slight drop compared to previous days after leading earlier, while Williams and Aston Martin prioritized reliability protocols and data collection in search of competitive timing.

Overall, the teams used the closing of these tests to validate aerodynamic configurations, evaluate tire wear, and make final setup adjustments before the Australian Grand Prix 2026, the first race of the calendar.