Sergio Perez Demands Cadillac Investigation After Suspension Failure

Sergio Perez has called on Cadillac to conduct a full investigation into the suspension failure that ended his Canadian Grand Prix, insisting the issue must be fully understood as the American team continues building its Formula 1 project.

The incident occurred on lap 39 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. As Perez exited the back straight and prepared to enter the pit lane, the front-right suspension on his Cadillac suddenly collapsed. The Mexican driver was forced to limp back to the garage before eventually retiring from the race.

The failure represented another setback for Cadillac during its debut Formula 1 campaign. While the team has shown encouraging signs of progress in terms of outright pace, operational shortcomings and reliability concerns continue to limit its ability to convert performance into results.

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"It's something we need to investigate, understand and hopefully get on top of because it's not ideal what happened. Operationally, we are still lacking a lot and we are not making enough progress in terms of maximising the car's performance," Perez told media, including RacingNews365.

The comments underline growing pressure within the Cadillac organisation. Five rounds into the 2026 season, the team has begun to better understand its package, but Perez believes operational weaknesses remain one of the biggest obstacles preventing stronger results.

The experienced Mexican driver admitted he is becoming increasingly impatient with the team's operational execution. According to Perez, Cadillac must accelerate its learning curve as Formula 1 enters the crucial European phase of the championship.

"It's something we have to improve and we are in a massive hurry because we are not maximising the results. We are making progress in performance, which is very positive, but operationally we are lacking tremendously and we need to find our way during the European season," he explained.

Beyond the reliability issue, Cadillac was also caught out by a strategic gamble in Montreal. Perez was one of seven drivers who elected to start the race on intermediate tyres after rain fell before the start. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas made the same choice alongside the McLaren, Audi and Williams entries that opted for wet-weather rubber.

The decision quickly backfired as the rain eased sooner than expected. Multiple delays and aborted start procedures allowed the circuit to dry significantly before racing properly began, leaving the intermediate tyres vulnerable to rapid degradation.

"On the laps to the grid it felt like a 50-50 call and it was very difficult to choose the right tyre. But after the aborted starts, the rain eased and it became much clearer that slick tyres were the correct option. We took the gamble, but very early on it became obvious we were on the wrong tyre. Within three laps we had destroyed the intermediates and that was the biggest issue," Perez said.

Despite the strategic setback, Perez felt Cadillac showed encouraging pace once the race settled down. He recovered through the field, engaged in several competitive battles and overtook Haas machinery before the suspension failure abruptly ended his afternoon.

For Cadillac, the retirement adds another challenge to a growing list of priorities ahead of the European leg of the season. While performance gains are becoming increasingly visible, reliability and operational execution now appear to be the key factors that will determine whether the team can consistently fight for points as the championship progresses.