Sergio Pérez reveals Cadillac must find a one second per lap to join Formula 1 midfield fight

Despite visible progress across the opening races, Formula newbies Cadillac remain on the fringes of the field, with Suzuka exposing some encouraging signs according to veteran Perez, but overshadowed by alarming limitations.

In qualifying, Pérez and teammate Bottas outpaced both Aston Martin drivers, signalling steady improvement since Melbourne. However, the race told a different story, with Pérez finishing 17th and losing significant ground over a full stint despite a safety car compressing the field.

The gap was stark in clean running, with Pérez dropping around 1 second per lap compared to direct rivals after the restart, finishing roughly 27 seconds behind the group led by Sainz and Colapinto.

The Mexican confirmed that assessment based on his own experience in traffic: “It was quite interesting. When I was following, I was battling with the Williams and the Alpines at that point, and I could see they weren't that far behind. But they manage to find their rhythm, again and again, consistently."

That consistency gap is now the central issue for Cadillac. Perez conceded: “I think it's obvious we need a second one now, and I really hope we bring a big improvement to Miami. I think this will be the biggest test for the team."

Cadillac are banking heavily on a significant upgrade package scheduled for Miami, which Pérez views as a defining moment in their early development cycle.

Encouragingly, he pointed to operational improvements already being made: “I think we've made progress at every Grand Prix. This is the first race where, overall, everything went quite smoothly, apart from some deployment issues I had in qualifying. I really hope we can take that step to be in the game with the midfield."

From a technical perspective, the weaknesses are clearly identified, with aerodynamic performance at the centre of the problem.

“I think there are several areas, but currently the main one is aerodynamic load. That's where we're lacking the most. The balance isn't too bad, but we lack downforce,” Pérez explained.

Energy deployment is another area under scrutiny, with Cadillac still trailing more established teams in how effectively they use hybrid systems. But Perez remains optimistic: "I see encouraging signs. There is also work to be done on the deployment.

"I could see that some teams were using their energy differently from us. That's something to work on, but the main thing is that we need support. And obviously, we're bringing changes to Miami, and that will be the biggest test for us," added the six-time Grand Prix winner.

With clear weaknesses identified and upgrades on the horizon, their home race, Miami, next up, represents a critical checkpoint for Cadillac, as they attempt to close a gap that remains stubbornly close to a full second per lap.