George Russell’s comments after Day 1 of testing raised eyebrows across the paddock. Cadillac’s early performance with Sergio Perez was good enough to earn praise from Mercedes—and that alone speaks volumes.
Sergio Pérez and Cadillac have made a big impression on Mercedes after the first day of preseason testing for F1 2026.
The German team led the first day of testing and is expected to set the benchmark for the coming months; however, George Russell told SkySports his impressions of other teams.
This is what the Briton had to say: "We are very happy with the day, but the truth is that I was quite impressed with other teams. The teams with Red Bull engines, with a completely new power unit, and they are a completely new team in terms of power units, had a very smooth day with two cars.
"Audi also did some good laps. Haas did the most laps with a Ferrari engine. It's not like in 2014, when half the grid broke down and had a lot of problems.
“I think Formula 1 has evolved a lot since then and the level is very high in all aspects. It was quite impressive to see all the teams doing so many laps on the first day,” he said.
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How much will Checo Pérez earn at Cadillac?
Sergio Pérez is back in Formula 1, and now information has emerged about the Mexican driver's salary at Cadillac. According to recent reports, the Jalisco-born driver will earn a significant amount with the American team: "PlanetF1.com has learned that Pérez has signed a multi-year contract with Cadillac.
"Furthermore, it is suggested that he has a base salary of close to $10 million, a contract that is reportedly equivalent to his previous contract with Red Bull. The driver will also reportedly receive bonuses for his results, such as championship positions, podium finishes, and victories, and his income will be increased by a percentage of official merchandise sales.
“This is a huge advantage for Pérez, who was reportedly responsible for more than 60% of Red Bull's online merchandise sales. Cadillac has been interested in signing Pérez based primarily on what he can offer as a driver, rather than the impressive list of sponsors he has boasted in the past,” they said.
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