Carlos Sainz Jr publicly criticized drivers like Sergio Pérez for questioning F1’s 2026 regulations. After Checo compared the new engines to Formula E, Sainz said he “doesn’t like” public attacks on the sport, urging patience and open dialogue with the FIA instead of early backlash.
Driver for the Williams Racing team, Carlos Sainz, has made statements implying criticism of drivers who have spoken out against the new Formula 1 regulations in 2026, including Sergio Pérez.
During preseason testing, the Mexican driver had this to say about the new engines in the category: “It seems that overtaking could be a little more complicated in terms of managing energy and so on. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but it could end up being like Formula E racing.”
Other drivers, such as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, have made similar comments on the subject; however, Sainz appeared at an event with one of his sponsors and said the following: "We all make a living from Formula 1, and I don't like publicly criticizing your sport.
"Criticizing in public creates a vicious circle. Journalists buy into the driver's discourse, and suddenly everyone starts criticizing before we even get to a race where the show might be fine. I prefer to wait three or four races at different circuits to make my assessment.
“The only thing I've asked the FIA is to keep an open mind. If we've made mistakes with some engine configurations or calibrations, they should be open to changing them and improving the show,” said the Madrid-born driver.
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How many years does Checo Pérez have left on his contract with Cadillac?
Sergio Pérez returned to Formula 1 with Cadillac, and one of the biggest questions on fans' minds is the length of his contract, as this could be his last team before retirement.
According to information from Diego Mejía, a renowned motorsports journalist, the Jalisco-born driver will be on the track for quite some time: "Checo has said that he has two years with Cadillac. His contract, as far as I know, is a 2+1, two with conditions for a third.
“He has also said that he plans to stay as long as necessary to reap the rewards and that he is not setting a deadline for his last big project,” they reported.
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