Sergio Pérez clearly feels more heard since his move to Cadillac. The Mexican returns to the grid after a year’s absence and forms the experienced driver line-up of the new American team alongside Valtteri Bottas. Pérez, who previously drove alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull for four years, states that his role within Cadillac feels different. The 36-year-old driver took a cautious swipe at his former employer in the process.
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In the lead-up to the opening race in Melbourne, Sergio Pérez was asked if his feedback is valued more at Cadillac than at Red Bull. “Yes, absolutely,” he replied immediately. “I think I’m getting insight into how the car is being developed and how we’re working in the same direction; that always helps. In addition, I certainly get the feeling that my feedback is valued much more.” The six-time Grand Prix winner was recruited by Cadillac because of his years of experience in Formula 1.
After a year away from the sport, Pérez says his view of the competition has changed. “I really feel that my year away has given me a completely different perspective on the sport,” he continued. “When you’re stuck in that Formula 1 bubble from a young age, you worry much more about small details that are completely irrelevant to people not living in that bubble. So for me, the main priority is to enjoy it again. I’m acting like I’m back in karts! At least, that’s how I see it.”
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Cadillac’s Goals
That mentality should help him perform at his best again in his fifteenth season in Formula 1. In his final year at Red Bull, Pérez struggled in the internal battle with Max Verstappen. He couldn’t match the Dutch champion and fell into a downward spiral. “My main priority is to enjoy it and do my best,” Pérez explained. “If I enjoy it again, I also perform at my best. And ultimately, that’s the only thing that really matters at this stage of my career.”
Regarding expectations for the debut season, Pérez keeps his focus primarily on development. “I think at this stage it’s mainly about the progress we can make. We have to get all the puzzle pieces in place, gather feedback, work together, and develop. Based on what we saw in Bahrain, I think we have to outperform all the established teams in terms of development. That won’t be an easy task, but for us, it’s mainly about the progress we can make now. That’s where our focus lies.”
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