{"id":4272,"date":"2026-10-21T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=4272"},"modified":"2026-10-21T14:48:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T17:48:44","slug":"perez-admits-f1-retirement-is-approaching-as-cadillac-project-takes-longer-than-expected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/perez-admits-f1-retirement-is-approaching-as-cadillac-project-takes-longer-than-expected\/","title":{"rendered":"P\u00e9rez admits F1 retirement is approaching as Cadillac project takes longer than expected"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sergio P\u00e9rez admits he is approaching the end of his Formula 1 career<\/strong>, although he has not announced a retirement date and remains contracted to Cadillac through 2027.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Mexican says Cadillac&#8217;s development is taking longer than he initially expected<\/strong>, with the American manufacturer still searching for its first championship point.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>P\u00e9rez wants to spend more time with his four children<\/strong>, but remains determined to help Cadillac become competitive before leaving Formula 1.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sergio P\u00e9rez has admitted that his Formula 1 retirement is approaching, acknowledging that Cadillac&#8217;s development is taking longer than expected and that his desire to spend more time with his family could limit his remaining years in the championship.<\/strong> The Mexican returned to the grid in 2026 after a season away but is already considering how much longer he wants to continue racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking to Mexican broadcaster <em>Televisa<\/em> ahead of the United States and Mexico City Grands Prix, P\u00e9rez explained that he wants Cadillac to become his final major Formula 1 project. However, the 36-year-old stressed that he has not established a specific date for retirement and remains motivated by the challenge of developing the American team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez signed a two-year agreement covering 2026 and 2027 when Cadillac recruited him alongside Valtteri Bottas. The team remains last in the Constructors&#8217; Championship without points, having struggled with reliability problems and a slower development rate than initially anticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">P\u00e9rez admits F1 retirement is closer than expected<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez acknowledged that the demands of Formula 1 have become more significant as his career progresses, particularly because of the time spent away from his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican has competed in the championship since 2011, representing Sauber, McLaren, Force India, Racing Point, Red Bull and Cadillac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After spending 2025 away from the grid following his departure from Red Bull, P\u00e9rez returned with a different perspective on his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He explained that the experience helped him appreciate racing again, but also made him more conscious of the personal sacrifices required to compete internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I&#8217;m aware that we are much closer to the end than the beginning, but that&#8217;s why I want to fully enjoy these Grands Prix \u2014 they are a dream,&#8221; P\u00e9rez said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Cadillac driver added that he remains enthusiastic about competing but does not expect to continue indefinitely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It&#8217;s a project that requires more time than I initially thought,&#8221; he said about Cadillac&#8217;s development. &#8220;I think giving a specific number of years is difficult, but it won&#8217;t be much longer.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His comments do not represent a formal retirement announcement or confirmation that he will leave Cadillac at the end of 2027. Instead, P\u00e9rez is evaluating how the team&#8217;s progress and his personal priorities will influence the final stage of his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-treino-livre-cadillac-sergio-perez-1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"F1 2026, SINGAPURA, TREINO LIVRE, CADILLAC, S\u00c9RGIO P\u00c9REZ, CARRO\" class=\"wp-image-1020317475\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-treino-livre-cadillac-sergio-perez-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-treino-livre-cadillac-sergio-perez-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-treino-livre-cadillac-sergio-perez-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-treino-livre-cadillac-sergio-perez-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-treino-livre-cadillac-sergio-perez-1-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-treino-livre-cadillac-sergio-perez-1-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-treino-livre-cadillac-sergio-perez-1.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">S\u00e9rgio P\u00e9rez (Photo: Cadillac)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cadillac&#8217;s slow progress complicates P\u00e9rez&#8217;s final F1 project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cadillac entered Formula 1 in 2026 as the championship&#8217;s 11th team, selecting P\u00e9rez and Bottas to provide experience during its debut season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American manufacturer has encountered significant difficulties, particularly involving reliability and the development of its first car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez has achieved a best finish of 14th on two occasions, while Cadillac remains without a championship point. The team has also suffered several retirements caused by mechanical problems, limiting opportunities to collect data and evaluate improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican previously expressed frustration with the lack of progress, arguing that Cadillac had not improved as much as he expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The concerns prompted team principal Marcin Budkowski to explain that the organisation needed to balance immediate development with preparations for 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/cadillac-responds-to-perez-frustration-and-explains-why-2027-is-becoming-priority\/\">Budkowski acknowledged P\u00e9rez&#8217;s frustration and urged him to manage expectations as Cadillac shifted more resources towards its 2027 car<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team principal emphasised that building a competitive Formula 1 operation requires time, particularly when establishing engineering processes and infrastructure from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez now accepts that the project may take longer than he initially anticipated, although he remains committed to helping the organisation progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">P\u00e9rez wants Cadillac to be his final major F1 project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite acknowledging that retirement is approaching, P\u00e9rez does not want to leave Formula 1 without seeing Cadillac make meaningful progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican described the American team&#8217;s development as a central motivation for returning to the championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In comments reported by <em>El Economista<\/em>, P\u00e9rez explained that he wants Cadillac to become his final major project in Formula 1 and hopes to leave once the team has established itself among the championship&#8217;s leading competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That ambition creates a difficult balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cadillac is still in the early stages of building its technical organisation, and becoming a regular points-scoring team will require improvements in performance, reliability and operational execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moving towards the front of the grid would represent an even greater challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez recognises that such progress cannot be guaranteed within the remaining period of his existing contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nevertheless, he believes his experience with established teams can help Cadillac accelerate its development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican spent four seasons alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, contributing to two Constructors&#8217; Championships and finishing runner-up in the 2023 Drivers&#8217; Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He considers that experience particularly valuable when working with engineers and management personnel who are building a new Formula 1 operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family could determine when P\u00e9rez leaves Formula 1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez identified his four children as one of the most important factors in his eventual retirement decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Formula 1&#8217;s international calendar requires drivers to spend substantial periods travelling between continents, with limited time at home during the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican explained that his children are reaching an age when he wants to be more present in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;What really holds me back is my kids,&#8221; P\u00e9rez said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He acknowledged that he understands why Fernando Alonso continues racing into his forties, but suggested that his own circumstances are different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I would love to stay as long as Fernando, for example, but my children are at an age where I want to be around more,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a separate interview with <em>Motorsport.com<\/em>, P\u00e9rez explained that he believes he could continue competing for several more years from a physical and sporting perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, he wants to pursue other activities outside Formula 1 and avoid sacrificing too much family time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The distinction is important because P\u00e9rez does not consider a lack of competitiveness or motivation to be the principal reason for retiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His decision will depend on the balance between the opportunities available in racing and the life he wants beyond the championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">P\u00e9rez says Cadillac comeback restored his confidence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez&#8217;s return to Formula 1 followed a difficult conclusion to his Red Bull career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican struggled during the second half of 2024, failing to match Verstappen&#8217;s results and eventually losing his seat despite having previously signed a contract extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He spent 2025 away from the championship before agreeing to join Cadillac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the American team has not been competitive enough to challenge regularly for points, P\u00e9rez believes his performances have helped restore confidence in his abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;People who understand Formula 1 know the level I am driving at,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican added that returning to the championship allowed him to demonstrate that the circumstances surrounding his final period at Red Bull had affected his results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His comments reflect an argument he has made repeatedly during 2026: that a driver&#8217;s performance cannot be judged solely by finishing positions without considering the competitiveness and characteristics of the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cadillac&#8217;s difficulties have therefore not prevented P\u00e9rez from enjoying aspects of his return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has described the opportunity to influence the team&#8217;s development as particularly rewarding, because his role extends beyond driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American organisation has involved him in technical discussions and long-term planning, allowing him to contribute to decisions that would normally be handled by more established engineering structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cadillac prepares for Austin and P\u00e9rez&#8217;s home Grand Prix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez&#8217;s comments arrive during an important period for Cadillac, with the team preparing for consecutive races in the United States and Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American manufacturer has introduced a special Texas-inspired livery for the United States Grand Prix, incorporating Western embroidery, horseshoes, cacti and other references to American culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/cadillac-goes-full-cowboy-with-special-f1-livery-for-home-race-in-austin\/\">Cadillac&#8217;s cowboy-inspired design will appear on the cars of P\u00e9rez and Bottas at Austin<\/a>, reflecting the manufacturer&#8217;s identity during its first Formula 1 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez will also give up his car during Friday&#8217;s opening practice session, allowing development driver Colton Herta to complete another official appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/herta-replaces-perez-at-cadillac-for-austin-f1-practice-in-emotional-american-homecoming\/\">Herta will replace P\u00e9rez in FP1 at Circuit of The Americas<\/a>, returning to the circuit where he secured his first IndyCar victory in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican will resume driving in FP2 and complete the remainder of the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After Austin, Formula 1 travels directly to Mexico City for the Grand Prix on November 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The event will carry particular significance for P\u00e9rez, who is approaching his 300th Formula 1 start in front of his home supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/when-is-the-next-f1-race-after-austin-mexico-city-gp-2026-date-and-start-times\/\">Mexico City Grand Prix follows Austin on October 30\u2013November 1<\/a>, with the Mexican hoping to give Cadillac a stronger result during one of the most important weekends of his season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will Sergio P\u00e9rez race for Cadillac in 2027?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>P\u00e9rez remains under contract with Cadillac through the 2027 season<\/strong>, and neither the driver nor the team has announced a change to that agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican&#8217;s recent comments concern the longer-term direction of his career rather than an immediate departure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His decision about continuing beyond the current contract will depend on Cadillac&#8217;s progress, the opportunities available and his family priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The manufacturer has repeatedly emphasised the importance of P\u00e9rez&#8217;s experience in developing its Formula 1 programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the driver has made clear that he does not intend to extend his career indefinitely simply to wait for Cadillac to become competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For now, P\u00e9rez remains focused on helping the team improve while enjoying the final stage of a career that has included six Grand Prix victories and a championship runner-up finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sergio P\u00e9rez wants Cadillac to be his final major Formula 1 project but acknowledges that the demands of building a new team and spending time away from his four children could limit his remaining years on the grid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020307356,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Sergio P\u00e9rez ","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Cadillac","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_ai_content_disclaimer":"","42wp_is_ai_content":false,"42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":7,"location":""}],"footnotes":"","42wp_hide_from_automatic":false,"42wp_breaking_news":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[77,890,265,543],"42wp_author":[7],"class_list":["post-4272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-cadillac","tag-mexico-city-gp","tag-sergio-perez","tag-valtteri-bottas","42wp_author-victor-martins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4272","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4272"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4272\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4275,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4272\/revisions\/4275"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020307356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4272"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=4272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}