Sergio Perez says the struggles skilled by second drivers at Crimson Bull present he has nothing to show on his return to Components 1 with Cadillac.
Cadillac introduced that its first driver line-up will include 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 yr, Perez returns after being dropped by Crimson Bull late final season, whereas the 2 drivers to observe 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 have been in my seat, however even earlier than that,” Perez stated. “Now everybody forgets about it, but it surely’s been a really difficult place to be in, to consistently be adapting, to construct confidence mentally.
“It is a very distinctive problem. And I do not suppose I’ve something to show, whenever you see like the quantity of factors that they’ve scored, it is like 5 factors in all the season. So I do not suppose I’ve acquired something to show in that regard.
“To me, it is extra… coming again to benefit from the sport. I wish to benefit from the sport, the game that I like, the game that has given me a lot. I could not afford to depart the way in which I left the game, and because of this I am coming again with this new venture. I hope it is a very profitable one, however amongst that, greater than something, I wish 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 turned clear in direction of the top of the yr that I used to be not going to proceed with Crimson 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 wished to do subsequent. And the extra I used to be speaking to the Cadillac staff, the extra it turned obvious that that is what excites me to come back again, it is the venture itself. It isn’t simply going again to the grid with a daily staff to battle for podiums and races and factors. It is a complete venture. The dynamic, I really feel, is totally different.
“And I spotted that I take pleasure in coaching! I at all times thought I hated it. However this time that I had off, it made me notice that I actually take pleasure in coaching. So I have been in the identical match [shape]. Clearly, I have not pushed something for some time apart from karting with my son. However there’s some plans with the staff to check a Components 1 automobile earlier than the top of the yr.
“And clearly subsequent yr with a lot testing that we’ll have, it’ll make that mud go away extraordinarily rapidly. I do know what Components 1 is about, and I can be able to ship from the primary race onwards.”
