I just reviewed the latest preseason results in Bahrain, and the situation with Checo Pérez in Cadillac is interesting. The Mexican finished tenth in today's session, quite behind Leclerc, but what he said afterward is what caught my attention.

Checo isn't worried about being 9 seconds behind. He says the car feels balanced and that they are improving every day. Of course, he knew that Cadillac's debut in F1 would be challenging, but what matters is how quickly they can develop from here on. That makes sense.

What I find key is that both Checo Pérez and Bottas are helping to identify where the problems are. Cadillac needs to improve faster than the teams ahead, and they know that the first half of the season is about laying the groundwork. The challenge is massive, but at least they have experienced drivers who can spot what works and what doesn't.

Leclerc was the fastest of the day with Ferrari, followed by Norris and Verstappen. Mercedes dropped a bit after leading the previous days. Overall, the teams are in the final stretch of adjustments before Australia. We'll see how Checo Pérez does when everything really gets underway.