Overview
- Mario Andretti, Cadillac’s adviser and a 1978 F1 champion, said Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas are “a little rusty” after a year away and urged faster adaptation.
- He cited weak rear stability and low downforce along with battery deployment trouble in the hybrid power unit, which he said is holding back lap time.
- Cadillac’s first-year program is leaning on reliability, with Pérez finishing the opening two races and the team suffering only one retirement for Bottas while it gathers data.
- Andretti noted small gains from race to race, including a tighter qualifying gap to the leaders, and he set an internal goal to fight for regular top‑10 finishes by season’s end.
- Mexican outlets raised questions about Pérez’s seat after the remarks, while reports also stress that many teams are still adjusting to the 2026 package and single out Mercedes and Ferrari as readier.