Sergio Perez says the struggles skilled by second drivers at Pink Bull present he has nothing to show on his return to Components 1 with Cadillac.
Cadillac introduced that its first driver line-up will consist of Perez and Valtteri Bottas when it joins the grid in 2026, bringing collectively two drivers with a mixed 16 victories and 527 race begins. Whereas Bottas has been with Mercedes as a reserve driver this 12 months, Perez returns after being dropped by Pink Bull late final season, whereas the 2 drivers to comply with him – Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda – have each additionally struggled.
“I do not really feel like there’s something to show, not simply due to the present drivers or the subsequent drivers that had been in my seat, however even earlier than that,” Perez stated. “Now everybody forgets about it, however it’s been a really difficult place to be in, to always be adapting, to construct confidence mentally.
“It is a very distinctive problem. And I do not assume I’ve something to show, while you see like the quantity of factors that they’ve scored, it is like 5 factors in your entire season. So I do not assume I’ve acquired something to show in that regard.
“To me, it is extra… coming again to benefit from the sport. I need to benefit from the sport, the game that I like, the game that has given me a lot. I could not afford to go away the best way I left the game, and this is the reason I am coming again with this new venture. I hope it is a very profitable one, however amongst that, greater than something, I need to take pleasure in this comeback.”
Perez has not been concerned in Components 1 this season and says the break was wanted to assist him uncover what would enticed him to return, citing the distinctive problem of Cadillac’s new entry as notably motivating.
“For me, it was essential to have this day off of the game, particularly as a result of it solely grew to become clear in the direction of the top of the 12 months that I used to be not going to proceed with Pink Bull. So as an alternative of leaping into one thing only for staying on the grid, I wanted that point. That point again to disconnect myself from the game a bit and to grasp what I really need subsequent in my profession.
“It wasn’t very clear for me to start with, particularly the primary couple of months, what I needed to do subsequent. And the extra I used to be speaking to the Cadillac crew, the extra it grew to become obvious that that is what excites me to come back again, it is the venture itself. It is not simply going again to the grid with an everyday crew to battle for podiums and races and factors. It is a entire venture. The dynamic, I really feel, is totally different.
“And I noticed that I take pleasure in coaching! I all the time thought I hated it. However this time that I had off, it made me understand that I actually take pleasure in coaching. So I have been in the identical match [shape]. Clearly, I have never pushed something for some time aside from karting with my son. However there may be some plans with the crew to check a Components 1 automotive earlier than the top of the 12 months.
“And clearly subsequent 12 months with a lot testing that we’ll have, it will make that mud go away extraordinarily rapidly. I do know what Components 1 is about, and I might be able to ship from the primary race onwards.”
