Ill Perez misses Mexico GP fan forum but targets practice at his home race

Sergio Perez will not attend the fan forum at this weekend’s Mexico Grand Prix after falling ill, Cadillac confirmed on Friday, though the team expects him to contest both practice sessions at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

“Checo Perez will unfortunately be unable to attend today’s fan forum at his home grand prix due to illness,” the team said in a statement. “Both he and the team apologise to all the fans who have come out to see him. His participation in the remainder of the race weekend, including FP1 and FP2, is not affected.”

The news compounds a difficult week for Cadillac. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas also missed Thursday’s media day through illness, though the Finnish driver is expected back at the circuit on Friday and will contest Free Practice 2. As part of Colton Herta’s bid to secure a super licence, the American test driver is scheduled to take Bottas’s car for opening practice regardless.

Should Perez prove too unwell for FP1, Cadillac has contingency options. Bottas could cover that session while Herta takes Perez’s car, and reserve driver Zhou Guanyu is also present in Mexico — still awaiting his Formula 1 return since departing Sauber at the end of the 2024 season.

The illness arrives at a significant personal milestone for Perez, who is set to make his 300th grand prix start this weekend. It also follows Wednesday’s announcement that he has signed a contract extension with Cadillac through to 2029 — a notable show of faith given the team’s difficult debut season. The American squad sits bottom of the constructors’ championship with zero points from 18 races, the slowest outfit on the grid in 2025.

Bottas, by contrast, has yet to be confirmed for the 2027 season. The Finn will fulfil all remaining media duties on Friday in Perez’s absence.

Opening practice is scheduled to begin at 12:30pm local time, with FP2 starting three and a half hours later.