Pérez: Cadillac’s upgrade “aims to get us closer” as tyre degradation remains the key weakness

Cadillac arrives at the Austrian Grand Prix with what Sergio Pérez describes as a “substantial upgrade package”, as the American team looks to strengthen its position in the midfield battle.

While the car has shown promising one‑lap pace, Pérez admits that tyre degradation remains the team’s biggest limitation in race trim.

Asked about his expectations for the weekend, Pérez said the team is optimistic that the new package will deliver a meaningful step.

“Yeah, we definitely want to make good progress. You know, we can see that we are getting closer towards the midfield, especially over a lap. I think still we are lacking quite a bit on the degradation side with the tyres.”

He believes the new components could help Cadillac close the gap further: “We are bringing an upgrade here that hopefully can get us even closer. Once we are there, you know, it’s all coming down to the little details.”

Pérez also praised the team’s operational progress: “I think operationally the team has been improving quite a lot, making really big steps so far. So yeah, hopefully this upgrade can put us a lot closer.”

Reflecting on Cadillac’s first months in Formula 1, Pérez highlighted the importance of execution — regardless of where the team is fighting.

“I think the importance of maximising everything, you know, in terms of operational side, the strategy. It’s irrelevant where you are on the grid.”

He stressed that even the lower midfield is fiercely competitive: “Formula 1 is very competitive all across. Even if you’re fighting for P18, it’s still at a very competitive level.

"You know, you’re fighting great teams like Aston and great drivers. So, it’s about maximising every single detail out there.”

Pérez also reflected on his return to Formula 1 after a year away from racing in 2025. Despite the break, he says he adapted far quicker than expected.

“I think it was really good for me. You know, the way it worked out, having a year off is not easy to come back to the sport.”

A mid‑season test with Ferrari last year gave him confidence: “I was actually surprised, you know, when I did the test in the middle of last year with Ferrari, with the ’23 car, how quickly I got up to speed.”

He deliberately avoided racing in other categories while waiting for clarity about his future: “I didn’t want to drive anything else, any other series, until I knew what I was going to do in my future, and I didn’t drive anything other than, and when I jumped in the Ferrari, within a couple of laps, a couple of runs, I was already up to speed, up to the pace.”

That experience reassured him that he would be ready for the 2026 reset: “So that gave me a lot of confidence and I knew that starting this year everyone was going to start from zero with these new regulations, so I think pretty much straightforward. Once I’ve done it for so long, it didn’t take me too long to get up to speed.”