Marko tips F1 return for Perez with Cadillac

Apr.2 (GMM) Mercedes really could emerge for the all-new regulations era from 2026 with an advantage, Dr Helmut Marko admits.

Team boss Christian Horner has denied claims that the behind-the-scenes talk about delaying the new era and accelerating towards V10 engines is because Red Bull fears its own power unit project for the new era is lagging.

“It will be a massive change,” team advisor Marko told Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

“Mercedes has already declared itself the favourite, but there won’t be much difference on the combustion engine side,” he added. “We’re right on track, thanks in part to help from Ford, and believe we’ll have a maximum of five kW less – absolutely fine at this point.

“The big question is the battery,” the 81-year-old Austrian continued. “How is it cooled? How quickly is it charged? How quickly do you get the energy into the car? It’s all about the software, and it’s possible that someone will be way ahead in this area.

“But we have good people, many from Mercedes, and we’ve bought the necessary equipment from AVL. But nobody knows exactly where they stand,” Marko said.

Another big change in 2026 is the arrival of a brand new team – Cadillac. There was much opposition throughout the process, but Marko is relaxed.

“When one of the world’s largest automakers with such a traditional brand enters Formula 1, it always benefits,” he said. “When I was growing up, Cadillac was an absolute dream car, and now they want to get back on their feet.

“They could even be successful right away because General Motors has a stake in Ferrari, and they (Cadillac) are starting with Ferrari engines. The exciting thing will be how they manage the disparity between their locations – the engine factory in North Carolina and the team base in England.”

The driver Red Bull ousted at the end of last year – Sergio Perez – is currently being strongly linked with a Cadillac race seat.

“If he’s recovered from the pressure of Verstappen and is highly motivated, then yes,” said Marko when asked if the Mexican can bounce back into F1 competitively.

“He’s extremely popular in Latin America, which is something else to keep in mind. I just spoke to him on the phone, and he’s in good spirits and enjoying life. They’ll probably need an experienced driver.”