Overview
- Cadillac announced on Friday that Pérez will not attend his Mexico City fan forum after feeling unwell and apologised to supporters while saying he is expected to take part in Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2.
- Teammate Valtteri Bottas and Williams junior Kimi Antonelli both missed media duties earlier in the week for illness, and Cadillac confirmed Bottas was cleared to join FP2 on Friday.
- The team has formal contingency plans if Pérez cannot start on-track sessions, with Bottas likely to cover FP1 and test driver Colton Herta or reserve Zhou Guanyu available to drive the second car.
- The absence unsettles preparations for Pérez’s planned 300th Grand Prix start this weekend and comes after the driver signed a multi-year extension while Cadillac endures a difficult rookie season with limited pace and points.
- Drivers and team staff have pointed to the compressed 2026 calendar and consecutive triple-headers as a likely driver of fatigue and illness, a pressure that could force more practice swaps and reduced fan access during busy race weeks.