Comparing Sergio Perez’s Cadillac test performance in a Ferrari SF-23 with Charles Leclerc at Imola. Sergio Perez tests a Ferrari SF-23 at Imola as Cadillac prepares for its 2026 F1 debut.

Sergio Perez completes first Ferrari F1 test as Cadillac prepares for 2026 debut

Sergio Perez took to the track in an unmarked Ferrari F1 car at Imola on Thursday as part of his preparation for Cadillac’s 2026 Formula 1 entry. The test provided an opportunity for the new team to refine its fledgling operations ahead of their inaugural season. Ferrari will supply engines to Cadillac next year and agreed to loan the SF-23 chassis along with selected team personnel for the Emilia Romagna outing. Ferrari’s own test driver, Arthur Leclerc, had already driven the same car at Fiorano earlier in the week.

Despite ranking among the all-time top 10 F1 drivers for race starts, with 281 appearances, Perez had not driven an F1 car since last season’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which marked his final outing with Red Bull. Valtteri Bottas was unable to participate in the test due to his ongoing contract with Mercedes as a reserve driver.

Perez delivers solid performance at Imola, shows promising pace

Perez completed a total of 99 laps under the supervision of team principal Graeme Lowdon and team manager Peter Crolla. He delivered a clean run, with the only minor setback being a brief excursion into the gravel at Tamburello corner. Motorsport Italy reported that the Mexican driver set a best lap time of 1:18.82. Lowdon emphasized that Perez was not driving at maximum effort, as the main objective of the test was to train and familiarise the Cadillac mechanics with F1 operations rather than achieve outright speed.

Nevertheless, Perez’s pace appears competitive when compared to Charles Leclerc’s previous performance at Imola. Since there was no Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 2023 due to flooding, it is most relevant to compare with Leclerc’s dry practice sessions in 2022. Driving Ferrari’s first ground-effect car, Leclerc recorded a 1:19.740 in FP2, the weekend’s only dry session. By the time F1 returned to Imola in 2024, Leclerc had improved significantly, setting the fastest time in FP1 with a 1:16.990. Considering Perez’s unfamiliarity with the car, Cadillac can be satisfied that he completed a comprehensive programme without major interruptions.

Cadillac’s potential engine performance in 2026

Cadillac marks F1’s first new entrant since Haas in 2016, the American team having finished eighth out of 11 teams during their debut season. A key similarity between the two new entrants is their status as Ferrari engine customers. While General Motors plans to develop a bespoke power unit for Cadillac in the future, the team will initially benefit from collaborating with an established F1 manufacturer.

F1 analyst Ted Kravitz has suggested that Cadillac could even rival Red Bull’s engine performance in 2026, with Laurent Mekies’ team launching their own powertrain division next year. Despite expectations that Cadillac may initially start at the back of the grid, the team could replicate Haas’ respectable debut performance over a full season, particularly with two experienced and capable drivers, including Sergio Perez, at the wheel.