Perez dismisses 'rusty' assertion as Cadillac pair acclimate.
"To be honest, we're competing at a very high standard."
Sergio Perez has responded to claims that he and teammate Valtteri Bottas are "out of practice" following their return to Formula 1 with Cadillac. The 'rusty' remark was made by F1 icon Mario Andretti, the team's ambassador, during a challenging start to the 2026 season for the new team. However, former Red Bull driver Perez asserts that he is already back to full performance.
Regarding his form, he said, "I'm quite pleased. After I returned, I quickly got into the rhythm within a few days, and I feel I'm in a good spot in terms of driving."
"Honestly, we’re competing at a very high level. I was very satisfied with my weekend in Melbourne, particularly my first qualifying session." Nevertheless, Perez acknowledged that the circumstances have hindered a clear evaluation so far.
"We faced a lot of different scenarios during the race, and there was significant damage, so it wasn’t straightforward. The weekend in Shanghai was also tough, so I haven't had an ideal race weekend yet."
Currently, Cadillac is positioned towards the back of the standings after two races, with Bottas achieving P13 in China as the team’s best outcome thus far. At Suzuka, Perez also played down a minor incident in Shanghai that resulted in contact between their two cars.
"Everything's fine; we quickly moved past that incident, especially since the overall day went well for the team, with both Cadillacs finishing the race," he stated.
"Now we need to build on that, progress, and strive for improvement." Perez mentioned that both physically and mentally, he already feels back to his best after a year away from the sport.
"After testing and two Grands Prix, I’m fully back in shape; everything is going well, and all of the familiar sensations are returning. Plus, our car isn’t particularly fast yet," he joked.
The situation is also being monitored closely, with Cadillac positioning emerging American talent Colton Herta in Formula 2 as he works towards obtaining a super licence for a potential seat in 2027.
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