Perez Demands Cadillac Rethink Processes Amidst F1 Development Struggles

CadillacTeam·Cadillac driver Sergio PerezPlayer·Sergio Perez has voiced his frustration regarding the team's lack of development progress during the 2026 Formula 1Competition·Formula 1 season, asserting that the championship newcomer must "rethink its processes." The American marque made its debut this year, yet after 11 rounds, CadillacTeam·Cadillac sits at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship standings without a single point, contending with Aston MartinTeam·Aston Martin at the rear of the grid.

While a challenging inaugural season was largely anticipated, CadillacTeam·Cadillac's performance gap of approximately 2.5 seconds to the front-runners has remained consistent. This persistent deficit has occurred despite continuous updates to their MAC-26 chassis, including a significant package introduced at the Austrian Grand PrixCompetition·Austrian Grand Prix. However, these enhancements have not yielded the expected impact, a stark contrast to the advancements seen from rival teams. Aston MartinTeam·Aston Martin, for instance, managed to surpass CadillacTeam·Cadillac with its 'B-specification' car at the Hungarian Grand PrixCompetition·Hungarian Grand Prix.

Speaking ahead of the Budapest race weekend, Perez, who had previously predicted Aston MartinTeam·Aston Martin's ascendancy, articulated the difficulties faced by his team. "It has been very difficult, very difficult for us to develop. I think we just haven't developed enough," Perez stated. He emphasized the critical nature of progress in the sport: "Obviously, we need to rethink all our processes to make sure we are able to develop much stronger, because in Formula 1Competition·Formula 1, it's all about development."

Perez further elaborated on the team's challenges, highlighting inefficiencies and a reliance on external partners. "I think that's what we are missing. Of course, as a new team, we haven't developed as much as we would like," he added. "There is some inefficiency and obviously a lack of development because a lot of it is done through third parties, so we don't control a lot of it. So there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes to try and get on top of all of that."

He contrasted CadillacTeam·Cadillac's situation with that of more established teams. "We don't have a clear established process. Many of the established teams, they know their development process. They have a very clear line of how to do things. For us, at the moment, there are a lot of unknowns that we are still discovering and trying to make the most of. We need to strengthen that line and then things will be much better," the Mexican driver concluded.

CadillacTeam·Cadillac's struggles are compounded by the fact that the season marks the beginning of a new regulatory cycle, making an effective development schedule even more crucial as teams continue to understand the new rules. Despite the current position, Perez revealed that the team, led by Graham LoudonCoach·Graham Loudon, aims to introduce further improvements in the latter half of the year. This strategic push is intended to position them favorably for their second season in 2027. "At the moment, we are at a stage where we are starting to focus on next year. We have to find a balance, but still, I think no one in the team is happy with our current situation," Perez explained. "So I think the team will continue to push for a few more upgrades to make sure we can at least show ourselves that our development process is strong. That will give us a lot of confidence going forward."

Despite the team's overall performance, Perez expressed satisfaction with his personal driving this season, rating it "close to 10" and affirming his belief in CadillacTeam·Cadillac's long-term potential in the sport.