Sergio Perez targets major Cadillac upgrade as Miami becomes "biggest test" yet

Perez eyes crucial step forward in Miami

Sergio Perez has expressed hope that Cadillac will introduce a significant upgrade package at the upcoming Miami round, describing the event as the “biggest test” the team has faced so far in its early Formula 1 journey.

Inexperience has left the squad running toward the back of the field in the opening rounds. However, Perez sees reasons for encouragement, particularly when comparing Cadillac’s trajectory with that of its direct rivals.

A second to find and a clear weakness to address

Despite signs of progress, Perez was candid about the scale of improvement required. Cadillac, he says, is still missing substantial lap time if it is to fight more consistently within the midfield battle.

“It’s clear that we need a second now,” he admitted. “And I really hope that we are bringing a big upgrade for Miami, and that will be the biggest test for the team.”

Perez pointed to steady gains across each grand prix so far, suggesting the upward trend is real — even if the results have yet to reflect a breakthrough.

“We’ve been progressing every grand prix. This is the first grand prix that more or less everything has been straightforward — apart from the deployment issues I had [on Saturday].”

The objective for Miami is clear: move decisively into the heart of the midfield fight.

“I really hope that we can make that step in the mix with the midfield.”

Low-speed deficit holding Cadillac back

While Perez avoided overcomplicating the diagnosis, he identified one primary area of weakness.

“There are a lot of areas, but at the moment, the main one is low [speed] is where we are lacking. The balance itself is not too bad. We are just lacking in the slow.”

That low-speed deficit now defines the challenge facing Cadillac. Miami, round four of the season at the start of May, will provide the clearest indication yet of whether the team can convert development time into genuine on-track progress — or whether the gap to its rivals will persist.