Last Updated on October 26 2025, 8:46 am
Sergio Pérez, who has now signed with the new Ferrari-powered Cadillac Formula 1 team, has shared new details about his upcoming test with Ferrari. Speaking at a promotional event in Mexico, the six-time Grand Prix winner confirmed that he will drive an older Ferrari model at Imola in November 2025, most likely the SF-23 from the 2023 season.
Driven by Carlos Sainz, that car famously broke Red Bull’s near-perfect record at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, securing Ferrari’s only win that year. The SF-23 was also recently used by Lewis Hamilton for his first Ferrari test earlier in 2025, making it a popular choice for driver acclimatisation.
Cadillac’s partnership with Ferrari
As Cadillac prepares for its Formula 1 debut in 2026, it faces a challenge common to all new teams: a lack of older cars for testing. Regulations prevent teams from testing current models outside of official sessions, meaning new entrants often need to rely on partnerships to gain early experience.
As a Ferrari customer, Cadillac has reached an agreement with Maranello to borrow one of their older cars for testing purposes. The SF-23 provides an ideal opportunity for the American team to integrate its new drivers and engineers before official testing begins. This collaboration strengthens the connection between Ferrari and Cadillac on technical and operational levels.
However, questions remain over which livery the SF-23 will carry during the test and whether Valtteri Bottas, Perez’s future teammate at Cadillac, will also take part. Bottas is still under contract with Mercedes as a test driver, but he is expected to shift his focus to Cadillac preparations by the end of 2025.
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Pérez’s goals for the Imola test
Pérez described the upcoming sessions as a crucial step in Cadillac’s Formula 1 preparations.
“They will be very useful because we can work with the mechanics and engineers to prepare the entire team for the test programme starting in January,” he explained.
The Mexican driver emphasised the importance of early integration, adding that the team plans to be ‘at 100 per cent’ by the start of the 2026 pre-season.
Until then, Pérez will spend a lot of time in the simulator to rebuild his race fitness and adapt to Ferrari’s engine and systems. His return marks a significant personal milestone after he stepped away from Formula 1 at the end of 2024.
“It’s always nice to have a team that listens to you, supports you and appreciates you,” said Pérez. ‘That’s every driver’s dream.”
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His final year at Red Bull was difficult
Perez’s relationship with Red Bull ended on a sour note, despite a strong start to his tenure. Despite achieving his best-ever result by finishing second in the 2023 World Championship, his performance declined sharply in 2024. Inconsistency and several early exits meant he finished only eighth in the standings, far behind his teammate Max Verstappen.
With mounting pressure and internal tension, Pérez and Red Bull agreed to terminate his contract early. His decision to take a break from racing in 2025 has given him the opportunity to recharge before joining Cadillac for its highly anticipated entry into Formula 1 in 2026.
As he prepares to return to the track at Imola, Pérez has the opportunity to rebuild his confidence and guide Cadillac’s inaugural steps into Formula 1. The upcoming Ferrari test offers valuable technical insights and symbolises a fresh start for a driver determined to prove that he still belongs at the top level of the sport.
MORE F1 NEWS – McLaren in Denial as Red Bull Reveal Secret Weapon, Verstappen’s Historic Comeback Is On
The numbers have been flowing in torrents since Max Verstappen’s dominant win at the Us Grand Prix in Austin Texas. Across just four race weekends the world champion has outscored championship leader Oscar Piastri by 64 points closing the gap to just 40.
There’s more than enough points available for Verstappen to pull off the biggest comeback in F1 history and he’s within two points of being able to win a record fifth consecutive drivers championship should he win all the Grand Prix and Sprint races remaining.
Its just two years ago, the Red Bull ace won 19 of the 22 races that year and his biggest winning streak of ten consecutive Grand Prix had never before been achieved. To win five Grand Prix and two Sprint’s is more than doable as Max’s muscle memory from 2023 will surely kick in.
Red Bull upgrades keep coming
The huge surprise was that Red Bull decided unlike McLaren, to continue developing their car when any hope of a title for Max looked forlorn. The key to the RB21’s revival has been the Monza floor upgrade which opened the previously narrow window for setup.
The proof of the pudding has been Yuki Tsunoda’s improved performances he has scored 14 of his 28 points for the season since Monza whilst Max has won three of the last four Grand Prix and the Austin Sprint last weekend.
When asked in Singapore could McLaren respond with their own late season upgrades, Lando Norris laughed stating “its too late.” Team principal Andrea Stella admitted both of his drivers could have done a better job in recent weekends and that there would been more upgrades coming for the struggling MCL39.
Norris spent much of his race in Austin stuck behind the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc in a car which isn’t supposed to perform well in the heat. Yet the temperatures were searing and the McLaren for most of the race cold not make the pass, which should be something of a concern at the Woking Technology Centre…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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