New Cadillac Formula 1 team boss Marcin Budkowski has praised Sergio Perez for his role in the 2026 campaign - denying any rumours linking him away from the debutant squad.
The 36-year-old joined the American outfit for its F1 debut in 2026 and although he is yet to score a point due to inferior machinery, Perez has still shown what he is capable of.
Perez leads team-mate Valtteri Bottas 9-5 (including sprints) in their qualifying head-to-head and has been the driver leading Cadillac’s charge to close the gap to the midfield.
This has led to rumours linking him with the struggling Williams outfit considering the futures of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz are uncertain, but Budkowski stressed the importance of keeping Perez.
"Checo's been an asset to the team and so have both drivers, to be honest, because there's been a lot of talk about taking two very experienced drivers,” said Budkowski during a media roundtable alongside CEO Dan Towriss.
“But I think it's crucial in a young team like this to provide that experience and that stability. If you have a driver learning and the whole team learning at the same time, that's too many variables.
“So I think it's important to have a driver like Checo on board.”
The 2026 season has therefore seen a refreshed Perez and not the one which led to his dismissal from Red Bull at the end of 2024, leading to a sabbatical last year.
He is known to be pushing Cadillac behind the scenes, stressing how important it is to keep developing the MAC-26, showcasing his vast experience from six wins in 292 grand prix starts.
Budkowski added: "From what I know, because of the conversations I've had with Dan, but also with other people from the team, he's not only been driving exceptionally well, but he's been pushing the team very, very hard in the background.
"That's to be expected from a driver like him, who's been at Red Bull for years and with the best.
“I think that's the kind of mindset that we want and that's also the kind of mindset that I will bring. So I'm sure we'll be aligned completely on the mindset and on the drive."
Towriss dismisses Williams rumours
Towriss reinforced the stance issued by Budkowski and dismissed any speculation regarding a potential departure of the Mexican driver to Grove.
"I would underline all the things that Marcin said,” stated Towriss. “Checo's been a tremendous asset to the team. He's driven very well and certainly has pushed quite hard.
"I'm very confident that Checo is going to remain with Cadillac and we're not distracted by the Williams rumours for a second.
“We're very confident in the relationship here and that you're going to see him piloting the Cadillac F1 car.”
