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Sergio Pérez arrived at this new chapter of his career with an expectation that, on paper, felt easy to picture for fans: come back, compete, and fight to be a protagonist right away. But the reality has been very different.
Sergio Pérez in a rebuilding phase with Cadillac
His return in 2026 with the Cadillac F1 Team project is not built on immediate results, but on something deeper: starting from zero. And in Formula 1, that means patience, mistakes, learning, and time.
This Sunday's race in Japan, scheduled for 1:00 a.m. ET, reflects exactly that moment. Checo will start from 19th place in a weekend where the car still hasn't reached the expected competitive level. But beyond the position, the focus lies elsewhere: understanding the car, gathering data, and moving forward step by step.
In his return, the Mexican driver has gone through a challenging start. In Australia, the goal was simply to finish the race. In China, there was a slight improvement in both pace and position. Japan comes as another test within this adaptation process. It's not a story of standout results just yet, but of constant evolution.
An inevitable contrast with his Red Bull era
The contrast with his previous chapter is impossible to ignore. During his time with Red Bull Racing, he shared a team with Max Verstappen, in an environment where the demand was at its highest and comparison was constant. Every race carried a different weight: it wasn't just about competing, but about holding his ground in an ultra-competitive setting, where the margin for error was minimal and pressure was present in every detail.
Today, the context is different. Cadillac chose experienced drivers, knowing the transition would not be immediate. And that changes the perspective. It's not about arriving and dominating from the start, but about understanding how to build a competitive team in modern Formula 1.
Everything around this project points to something bigger than a single strong result. It's not a streak of "win, win, win" that defines this moment, but the ability to learn in every race. To adjust here, correct there, and move forward with purpose.
For now, Checo is in transition, and when he fully masters the car, he will likely return to the podium once again.