According to Sergio Pérez, Formula 1 has deteriorated considerably with the new regulations. Following the first experiences last weekend in Melbourne, he calls the racing ‘incredibly fake’. Moreover, according to the Cadillac driver, it is a matter of time before a major start crash occurs.
Read more Verstappen urges FIA for quick adjustments: ‘In the interest of the sport’
Sergio Pérez certainly did not mince his words in the paddock of the Shanghai International Circuit on Thursday morning. The Mexican Cadillac driver was so outspoken in the run-up to the Chinese Grand Prix that the American team’s press officer even felt it necessary to intervene: “Shall we leave this subject and talk more about Cadillac?”
Max Verstappen’s former teammate at Red Bull Racing was clear in his judgment of Formula 1 in 2026. “To be honest, I find the racing incredibly fake. It’s all about the battery. You overtake and you get overtaken. It’s like Mario Kart. As a driver, you can make a difference. The rules are still new and it takes time to improve, but as a fan, I didn’t like the Australian GP in Melbourne,” said Pérez, who did finish (in sixteenth) and thus provided a satisfying F1 debut for Cadillac.
‘This is not good for anyone’
According to Sergio Pérez, however, it will still be difficult to adjust and improve the rules, despite the fact that various options are on the table at the FIA. “It’s difficult because you need the consent of all teams and some teams currently have a major sporting advantage. But I do think everyone wants to change something. What we have now is not good for anyone.”
Read more Aston Martin not only struggling with engine problems: ‘Communication also messy’
Furthermore, Pérez also finds the starting procedure a sensitive issue. In Melbourne, accidents were avoided during the season’s opening race, but it was a close call. Franco Colapinto almost crashed full into Liam Lawson at the start, whose car had gone into anti stall mode, and Pérez was also nearly involved. “It’s a matter of time before a huge crash occurs,” said Pérez.
According to him, the start has become very complicated with the new cars. Sergio Pérez: “There are so many different factors involved that determine whether you have a good start or a bad one. Look at what happened to Lawson on Sunday. Something like that can be very, very dangerous because you accelerate incredibly fast for the first two to three seconds and reach a high speed sooner. That brings great risks. I just don’t know what the solution is for this, because it has everything to do with the new engines that we simply have now.”
Read more Wolff also calls for regulation changes: ‘Normal part of the process’
Read everything about the Chinese GP here
