Sergio Perez has dismissed Mario Andretti's suggestion that he is rusty after returning to Formula 1 with Cadillac this year. The Mexican driver insists he is performing at a high level despite a tough start to the 2026 season. Perez spoke after the Japanese Grand Prix, where he finished on the lead lap for the first time.
Sergio Perez returned to Formula 1 in 2026 with newcomer Cadillac after a sabbatical year in 2025, following his release from Red Bull at the end of 2024. He has yet to score points in the opening three rounds but outperformed expectations by finishing ahead of Aston Martin in the constructors' standings. Cadillac, running the MAC-26 chassis, trails the leaders by two to three seconds and faces technical issues, as Perez noted ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Mario Andretti, a key figure in the Cadillac project and 1978 world champion, questioned Perez and teammate Valtteri Bottas's sharpness. In an interview on the Drive to Wynn podcast, Andretti said, “To be honest with you, I think they’re both just a little bit rusty,” attributing it to their time out of the cockpit and the new car package. Perez pushed back strongly, stating, “To be honest I think we've been performing on a very high level.” He highlighted his satisfaction with qualifying in Melbourne despite race damage, and similar issues in Shanghai. At Suzuka, Perez achieved his smallest Q1 gap to the leader at 2.171 seconds and raced closely with Williams and Alpine cars. “Coming back and straight away I was on the pace within a couple of days. I believe I'm in a good place in regards to driving,” he added. Looking ahead, Perez anticipates a major upgrade for the Miami Grand Prix after an April break, prompted by the cancellation of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain races due to Middle East tensions. “It's clear that we need a second now... I really hope that we can make that step to be in the mix with the midfield,” he said.
