Perez says Cadillac preferred to save a new engine for another race
GPBeat reports that Perez said Cadillac expected Sepang to be difficult and felt it might benefit more from a new engine at a later race.
Speaking after Saturday qualifying at Sepang and before Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Sergio Perez said Cadillac expected the circuit to be difficult and to struggle for pace. He said those expectations were behind the team's preference to reserve a new engine for another race, where Cadillac might benefit more.
The FIA's final qualifying classification placed Perez 22nd and team-mate Valtteri Bottas 21st. Bottas said Cadillac had been roughly level with Williams on Friday's long runs and hoped the team could race them on Sunday.
Sources 02
- PRIMARY SOURCEWhat the teams said – Qualifying in MalaysiaFormula 1
- PRIMARY SOURCEDoc 42 - Final Qualifying ClassificationFIA F1 decision documents
Claims and supporting evidence 3
Formula 1's qualifying roundup records Perez's expectation and rationale. The article keeps both attributed and preserves the conditional benefit.
The FIA classification lists the two drivers in those qualifying positions; the article does not present them as starting-grid positions.
The qualifying roundup records Bottas's comparison with Williams and his hope for the race.
This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.