Checo Pérez faces Cadillac's first steps in Formula 1 with realism

Preseason testing in Bahrain just concluded, marking an important milestone for Checo Pérez and his return to Formula 1 under the Cadillac banner. During the final day on February 20th, the Mexican driver completed 61 laps with a best time of 1:40.842, finishing tenth, nearly 9 seconds behind Charles Leclerc’s fastest time in Ferrari (1:31.992). Cadillac conducted its testing program in two blocks: from February 11 to 13 and from February 18 to 20, during which Checo Pérez had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the car he will use during the 2026 season.

First impressions from the track: positive outlook despite time gap

After handing the car over to his teammate Valtteri Bottas, Checo Pérez shared his thoughts with the media. Although the time difference is significant, the Mexican driver remains optimistic about the work done so far. “It’s about identifying the weak points and continuing to improve. For now, the car’s balance feels good. I think we have a balanced chassis. We’ve improved quite a bit in each testing session,” Pérez said, highlighting the consistency of the development.

Context is key to understanding these statements: Cadillac is in its first year in Formula 1, meaning the car is in a continuous process of refinement. Checo Pérez approaches this reality with maturity: “We’re doing many kilometers, which has been the most important part for us. We knew it would be a tough start, but the key is to determine how quickly we can advance in development from here.”

Checo Pérez’s optimism about future development

Cadillac’s strategy is ambitious. The engineering team works tirelessly to bring the car’s performance closer to that of powerhouses like McLaren and Red Bull, which have dominated recent seasons. Checo Pérez outlined the roadmap: “The challenge here will be to develop more speed than the teams ahead of us. That’s a significant challenge we’ll face throughout the year. The important thing is to lay the foundations in the first half, properly structure all departments, and then direct all development potential toward improvements in the car. Hopefully, we can get closer to them in the short term.”

Both Checo Pérez and Valtteri Bottas have been instrumental in identifying improvements. Their direct reports from the track fuel Cadillac’s work ahead of the competitive debut in Australia. “As a new team, getting all departments moving takes time. We just need to go out on track and gather as much useful information as possible,” added Checo, who is already preparing for his debut at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, which will open the season calendar.

The race to reach the top: a monumental challenge for Cadillac

The challenge is significant. While Cadillac builds its foundations, established teams continue iterating on a solid base. Red Bull maintains its competitive edge, McLaren finishes strong in Friday’s evening session, and Ferrari positions itself as a speed benchmark. For Checo Pérez and Cadillac, gaining ground will mean intense work sessions, constant configuration optimization, and detailed performance analysis throughout the campaign.

Leclerc dominates final tests; Norris and Verstappen maintain competitive pace

Friday’s session confirmed Charles Leclerc as the fastest driver of the day and of the entire testing. The red Ferrari demonstrated solid performance after a program focused on long runs and race simulations. Behind, Lando Norris finished strongly for McLaren in the evening session, while Max Verstappen kept Red Bull in the front group heading into the season opener.

The overall picture shows mixed dynamics in the rest of the paddock. Mercedes experienced a slight slowdown after leading previous sessions, while Williams and Aston Martin prioritized reliability programs and data collection over lap times. Overall, these final tests served all teams to validate aerodynamic configurations, assess tire durability, and fine-tune the final setup ahead of the opening Grand Prix.