Although Valtteri Bottas finished last and Sergio Pérez retired from the 2026 F1 Spanish GP, Cadillac still left Madrid with a clear positive takeaway.
The American team endures a difficult debut season, often stuck at the back of the field with frequent reliability issues. However, the Madrid’s new street circuit gave the them a genuine reason for optimism.
A step forward for Cadillac F1 Team despite Pérez’s retirement
Sergio Pérez successfully avoided first-lap trouble, though his race ultimately came to an early end due to a mechanical failure.
The Mexican driver was sitting in P17 when a brake issue put an end to his afternoon. The Mexican driver had made a sharp launch from 18th on the grid, climbing to 16th after passing Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda on the opening lap.
What encouraged him most, however, was his ability to match Alex Albon through the first stint, keeping the Williams in his sights at a few seconds.
The battle between the two was straightforward to measure, as both drivers shared the same tyre plan by starting on mediums and switching to hards under the Virtual Safety Car.
Although the lap count for this direct comparison was limited, the numbers showed a steady picture of his pace.
“I had the brake pedal broken. I was on the right side of the mess [with Sainz and Tsunoda] and managed to get some positions, hold on to them.
“I was pretty much the same pace as Albon all the way through. I was within a second or two until we had the issue.
“So a really strong weekend for the team in terms of pace. We pushed everything. We were on the limit with the brakes, but we pushed to the very limit and happy with that.”
Pérez catches Williams’ pace at the 2026 F1 Spanish GP
The biggest takeaway from the 2026 F1 Spanish GP for Cadillac was that they could finally match a midfield competitor, Williams, on track.
Pérez spent most of his afternoon within a solid distance of Alex Albon’s FW48, showing that the car had genuine speed over a longer run rather than just one quick lap. For a new team trying to find its feet, keeping close to the Williams was a big confidence boost according to Pérez.
“I think that’s the most positive thing of the weekend. We were with them since lap one all the way through the end. We were actually, I think, faster than Albon on the second stint. So really happy, really happy with that.
“We just have to keep this momentum going and make sure that we get the reliability. But as a team, I’m proud that we pushed everything to the limit.”
However, Pérez also acknowledged that the characteristics of the Madring layout played a role in the performance.
“I think it’s a bit of track specific as well, you know, that we were able to get there, maximise our performance and take advantage of the mess. But we were the same pace literally as Albon all the way through the race. So I’m pleased with that.”
Feedback on Madring and looking ahead to Baku
The debut of the Madring track back on the Formula 1 calender drew plenty of attention across the paddock.
The Spanish venue proved to be very heavy on braking and offered few clear places to pass. The Mexican driver agreed with other drivers in slightly modifying the track so that they can have more chance for overtaking during the race.
Nevertheless, Pérez still found the layout enjoyable compared to traditional street tracks, such as Monaco.
“I think it’s a track that has character when you compare it to Monaco. It has more chance to overtake. I think the track itself, there can be a bit of a change to help a little bit of overtaking.
“But other than that, it’s really, really good place to race. Really good fun. Yeah, even in these cars, it can be fun in this track.”
Now, the focus shifts to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Baku features another street circuit, but with massive straights that test straight-line speed.
For Cadillac, sorting out their reliability is the top current priority. After their relative success at the Spanish GP, Pérez also counts on an engine upgrade to help them take another step forward towards the end of the 2026 F1 calendar.
“I just hope that Baku’s one of those races that you just have to put everything together and see what happens. I really hope that we are able to put the new engine in the car and make a bit of a step because we really need a little bit more in it. That’s the plan at the moment.“
