Cadillac Drivers Struggled at Singapore Grand Prix
Both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas finished outside the top 15 in the recent race.
Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in Motorsports
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Cadillac faced a difficult outing at the Singapore Grand Prix, with Sergio Perez finishing 17th and Valtteri Bottas placing 19th. The team struggled to keep pace throughout the event, which saw one driver, Alex Albon, forced to retire.
Why it matters
The team currently lacks significant competitive pace, trailing lead cars by up to one and a half seconds. This gap underscores a difficult developmental period as the organization pivots its resources toward next year's car design.
Sergio Perez finished 17th after starting in the same position, while Valtteri Bottas placed 19th after beginning the race on Medium tires. The team confirmed a deficit of one to one-and-a-half seconds per lap compared to the lead cars.
The players
Sergio Perez
He is a professional racing driver who is set to reach the milestone of 300 total Grands Prix at the upcoming Mexico race.
Valtteri Bottas
He is an experienced professional racing driver currently competing for the Cadillac team.
Alex Albon
He is a professional racing driver who was unable to complete the Singapore Grand Prix.
The details
Sergio Perez attempted to manage the race using a two-stop strategy, switching from Soft to Medium tires before ending on a final set of Softs. The team noted that the Medium compound failed to meet performance expectations during the initial stint.
Timeline
The Singapore Grand Prix concluded on October 11, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The team's shift toward focusing on next year's car design reflects a strategic decision to address significant performance deficits in the current season. This move aims to improve competitiveness for the following year after struggling to bridge the gap against lead teams.
The team's reliance on a two-stop strategy and poor tire compound performance resulted in a finish outside of the points. Fans should expect limited progress in the remaining races as the team shifts its engineering focus away from the current chassis.
The takeaway
The team is prioritizing long-term development over mid-season race results as they address persistent speed deficits. Focusing on next year's vehicle allows the engineers to tackle performance gaps that current car updates have failed to resolve.
What happens next
Sergio Perez is scheduled to compete in his 300th career Grand Prix at the upcoming race in Mexico.
Further reading
For more news and analysis on race results, visit Motorsports.
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