Pérez Assumes Cadillac’s Reality: “We Are Too Far”

Sergio Pérez has not wanted to disguise Cadillac's reality. The Mexican driver, who qualified in the twentieth position for the Singapore Grand Prix, admitted that the American team is very far from the level of its direct rivals: "We expected something a little better but obviously the engine is not that important here, so Aston Martin is very strong and obviously Williams too. They have developed much more than us and seem to be going further than us at the moment. The difference is too big" Pérez declared after the session.

The Mexican, who will start nineteenth after George Russell's penalty, lamented that Cadillac has not been able to take advantage of the characteristics of Marina Bay, a circuit where engine power is not so decisive and where aerodynamic load and chassis take on greater relevance. Despite this, Pérez highlighted his own performance behind the wheel: "Even though today I got the maximum performance out of the car, it was a very solid lap. One of the strongest laps I have done here and I am very, very satisfied but it simply wasn't enough to even gain a position because we are too far on this circuit" he explained.

The man from Guadalajara was clear in identifying the areas where Cadillac needs to improve ahead of 2027: "Everything is mainly load, mechanically our suspension and absorption are very deficient, so I think we know in which areas we must work for next year" he noted. Pérez trusts that the work done during this debut season lays the foundations for a better future although he is aware that the road to competitiveness is long and requires patience.

The day in Singapore also left an incident for Pérez. During the Sprint, the Mexican had a contact with Lance Stroll at the start, the stewards determined that Pérez had the greater responsibility but decided not to penalize him. According to the report, the Mexican attempted a legitimate overtake on the inside but locked the right front wheel and lost control of the car, although the corresponding sanction was five seconds, the authorities took into account the difficult weather conditions due to rain and the fact that Pérez retired from the race. When questioned about the matter the Mexican described the crash as "just a racing incident" before adding with irony: "It's always difficult to agree with the stewards".

Cadillac faces the rest of the weekend with the need to maximize its options in a race that presents itself as complicated. The lack of pace of the MAC-26 at Marina Bay and the difficulty in finding the right setup leave the American team in a delicate position. Pérez with his experience and his ability to adapt, will continue working to squeeze the maximum out of a car that, despite its limitations, has proven to be reliable in the last races.

Cadillac's objective remains to score its first points of the season and although circumstances are not favorable, the team does not lose hope of taking advantage of any opportunity that presents itself in the final stretch of the championship.