Mexican driver Sergio “Checo” Perez had a complicated start in his new stage in Formula 1, finishing 16th in the Australian Grand Prix, in what was his first race as a Cadillac team driver. Perez finished three laps behind the leader, in a day marked by technical difficulties and adaptation to the new car. After the race, Perez was sincere about what he experienced during the competition and left a phrase that quickly caught the attention of motorsports fans.
“I don’t understand anything, it changes every lap… If it hadn’t been for the battery, I would have fallen asleep because of how boring the race was,” said the Mexican driver in an interview with ESPN. For Hispanic Formula 1 fans in the United States, Checo Perez’s debut with Cadillac was one of the most anticipated moments of the 2026 season, especially because it was a new project within the category.
A complicated debut in Australia
The Australian Grand Prix marked the start of the season and also the debut of Checo Perez with Cadillac, but the result was far from what was expected.
The driver explained that one of the main problems during the race was the irregular behavior of the battery system.
This resulted in significant speed differences in different laps.
According to him, there were times when he reached certain curves with no energy available.
While at other times it reached considerably higher speeds.
“All of a sudden I would get to turn 3 with no battery at all and other times 30 kilometers per hour faster,” he explained.
This situation made the race particularly complicated from a strategic and competitive point of view.
A return to a different Formula 1
Perez also acknowledged that today’s Formula 1 is very different from the one he knew.
Especially after spending some time out of the category.
“The championship is very different from what I was used to,” said the Mexican driver, who also recalled one of the most tense moments of the race: the start.
During the start, Checo managed to avoid an incident with Liam Lawson, which he considered one of the positive aspects of the day.
The Mexican explained that at that moment he was behind driver Franco Colapinto, who ended up against the wall, which forced him to react quickly to avoid the collision.
“I just saw it go into the wall and thought something had happened up ahead,” he explained.
No entiendo nada... cambia cada vuelta
Checo Pérez
Cadillac faces a learning phase
Beyond the result, Checo Perez assured that the Cadillac team is still in an early stage of development.
They will need to improve quickly if they want to compete in the championship.
The driver stressed that the season is just beginning, but also warned that time is a critical factor in Formula 1.
“As a team we have to put a plan in place immediately to see what’s next. We have a lot to find,” he said.
Despite the difficulties, the Mexican highlighted one positive aspect:
Having finished the race, something important for a new team that is still adjusting its operational and technical processes.
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com.
