The Mexican driver explained that Cadillac plans to introduce early upgrades to its car after preseason testing, aiming to optimize the MAC-26’s performance at the start of the championship in Melbourne.
The 2026 Formula 1 season will begin in Melbourne with a particular scenario for Cadillac. The American team will make its official debut in the category and will do so with a progressive approach to developing its car.
In that context, Sergio “Checo” Pérez acknowledged that the team is already working on a first phase of updates planned for the opening races of the calendar, including the Australian Grand Prix.
The Cadillac project joins the grid as the eleventh team in the championship, backed by General Motors and featuring an experienced driver lineup made up of Pérez and Valtteri Bottas. Both return to the category with the challenge of building a competitive foundation from scratch for a team that will make its official debut at the Albert Park street circuit.
The car the team will use in its first season is called the MAC-26, a chassis designed specifically for the new technical regulations that come into effect this year. The car represents the first step in a long-term program aimed at establishing the team within the grid as the seasons progress.
During preseason testing, Cadillac completed a program focused on validating the car’s basic systems and understanding the behavior of the aerodynamic package and power unit. That process helped identify specific areas where the team intends to introduce early improvements.
In that sense, Pérez explained that the technical work does not stop when testing ends. “We’re already working on the first updates,” he said while describing the preparation for the start of the championship.
The Mexican driver also emphasized that the immediate objective is to fully understand the car before expecting competitive results. In his view, the development process of a new team requires patience and a careful interpretation of the data gathered on track. “What matters right now is understanding the car and continuing to improve it,” he said when referring to the approach adopted by the American organization.
From a technical standpoint, Cadillac has organized its evolution program in stages. The first focuses on correlation between simulation and real track behavior, while a second phase will include aerodynamic adjustments and optimization of energy management. In regulations where electrical efficiency and active aerodynamics take on a greater role, those aspects become decisive in improving overall performance.
The presence of experienced drivers is seen within the team as a key factor in accelerating that learning process. Pérez, with multiple seasons in Formula 1 and several Grand Prix victories, has taken on a central role in evaluating the car and communicating with engineers during working sessions.
The Australian Grand Prix will therefore serve as the first real reference point to measure the project’s potential. Beyond the immediate result, Cadillac’s objective will be to validate its technical direction and confirm that the first planned upgrades can turn preseason data into tangible progress.
With the start of the championship approaching, the evolution of the MAC-26 in the opening races will be the clearest indicator of how the American team plans to build its competitiveness within the new technical era of Formula 1.