Sergio Perez will be back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the first time in almost a year for a two-day test of a previous car outing (TPC) as Cadillac ramps up preparations for 2026.
Cadillac doesn’t have its own car for testing, but has reached an agreement with its powerplant supplier Ferrari to gain access to a 2023-spec SF-23. The test will take place at Imola and will give Cadillac the opportunity to train its own team members on a number of systems and run race weekend simulations, with Perez driving for the first time since his last appearance for Red Bull in December 2024.
“I think it’s great to get started and also the timing works perfectly because it’s just before the test in January,” Perez told the official Formula 1 website. “On these two days I want to see on a physical level how much I have lost, what I need to work on. It will give me a very good guideline for the winter so I can focus on that.”
“It’s also an opportunity to work together with the team, with the engineers, with the mechanics and start speaking the same language. It’s definitely a great time for us.”
The SF-23 is finished in an all-black livery instead of the usual Ferrari red, with the FIA present to ensure compliance, as is standard on TPC trim. Cadillac is limited in the data and telemetry it can extract from the car, with a focus on training both Perez and Valtteri Bottas’ crews before 2026.
Cadillac test driver Colton Herta also raced in Italy earlier this month, although his test took place in a previous-generation Formula 2 car at Monza ahead of his move to the category in 2026.
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