After his final race in Abu Dhabi with Red Bull Racing, it seemed as Checo Perez had closed the chapter on Formula 1. Yet for his loyal fans, the news that the Mexican driver would become one of the leading faces of the brand-new Cadillac F1 team in 2026 was nothing short of a dream come true.
Since the announcement, Pérez has been outlining his plans for testing ahead of Cadillac’s long-awaited debut.
First steps toward a comeback
Since parting ways with Red Bull, Perez revealed that he would be heading to England to get back behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time since leaving the grid. With Cadillac operating bases in both the UK and the United States, the team’s drivers will need to split their time accordingly.
For Perez, the priority is physical preparation, particularly strengthening his neck, so that his body is fully adapted before his return in 2026.
“Next week I will be in Charlotte and in England,” Pérez explained.
“For me, it’s important to drive this year, especially for the neck, so that my body adapts again to what’s coming in 2026“.
“I will train in the simulator, and there are also plans for me to test an F1 car.”
The challenge, however, is that Cadillac does not yet have its own F1 car available for testing. This means Perez is likely to get laps in another team’s machinery, potentially even a Ferrari, before Cadillac’s car hits the track.
Fresh footage released by the Cadillac F1 team shows their 2026 recruit arriving at the squad’s Silverstone headquarters, before turning laps in General Motors’ simulator. The session marks a crucial milestone in Cadillac’s preparations for its highly anticipated debut.
An unpredictable future
As exciting as it may seem for both Checo Perez and his future teammate Valtteri Bottas, the road ahead remains uncertain. Being a brand-new entry, Cadillac must tread carefully with every decision, from testing to recruitment to car development.
With several weeks still left before the final Formula 1 season in its current form comes to an end, the team has a valuable window to prove itself. For now, the world of motorsport can only watch and wait to see how Cadillac’s bold new project unfolds, as they prepare to take the stage in what promises to be a historic chapter for Formula 1.
