During the week, a series of private tests took place at Imola featuring Sergio Perez behind the wheel of a completely black Ferrari SF-23. The Mexican driver completed a testing programme that proved essential for the team preparing to enter Formula 1 next year, when the grid will expand to 22 cars.
The American outfit focused mainly on aspects that were naturally unrelated to performance, considering that the car used belonged to another team and dated back two seasons. Cadillac was able to run the SF-23 thanks to an existing agreement between the two squads involving power unit supply.
The work completed by Perez
The former Red Bull driver returned to a Formula 1 cockpit at the Imola circuit. Sergio Perez drove the 2023 Ferrari across two days of testing organised by Cadillac. The team needed to familiarise itself with track operations and run through every essential procedure. This work was also valuable for the driver, who had to get used again to the demands of top-level single-seaters.
The Mexican completed 186 laps, split evenly between Thursday and Friday. Team Principal Graeme Lowdon was also present and commented on the work carried out. He explained that Sergio Perez was not pushing for performance and that the purpose of the session was to train the mechanics and learn all the necessary procedures. Graeme Lowdon added that there were still several areas requiring improvement, but the team remained on schedule, as he told Motorsport.com.
The 2026 season will represent a major challenge for Cadillac, which will face the experience and depth of the established Formula 1 teams. The radical regulation changes could provide an opportunity for a new entrant, but only the track will ultimately reveal the true competitive order. The key date for teams and insiders will be the Barcelona test at the end of January, where the next generation of cars will officially touch the asphalt for the first time.
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