Sergio Perez hails driving force behind Cadillac breakthrough

Sergio Perez has hailed Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss as a real driving force behind the team following the American outfit's rise to F1.

Just a year ago, Cadillac discovered it had finally secured a position on the grid as Formula 1's 11th team after an arduous process in proving itself to the sport's powerbrokers.

Lining up on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix, with Perez and fellow grand prix winner Valtteri Bottas, was a proud moment for all concerned with the operation.

Both drivers then saw the chequered flag on Sunday in China, although that was not without a moment of consternation when the Mexican collided with his Finnish team-mate in going for an overtaking manoeuvre.

Behind the scenes, although Cadillac is overseen by team principal Graeme Lowdon, the primary figure is Towriss, who brings vast experience from the worlds of business and professional sports in the United States.

"It's working really well," said Perez, when asked by the media, including RacingNews365, about his working relationship with the American businessman.

“What I really like about Dan is his competitive DNA. I think he's not going to be very patient at the beginning, and he's going to push the whole team forward to deliver results as quickly as possible, to move forward."

Cadillac popular in Mexico

Alongside his business interests, Towriss has extensive experience in the sports and motorsport industries. In racing, he serves as co-owner and CEO of the American organisation Andretti Global, which competes in several major series.

Through TWG Global, he also holds significant interests in major US sports franchises, including MLB team the Los Angeles Dodgers and NBA team the Los Angeles Lakers, among others.

Although Towriss is less well known in Europe, those close to him describe him as a determined visionary and highly influential leader who is eager to make his mark in Formula 1.

Perez said every member of the team is highly motivated and determined to help Towriss develop as quickly as possible. "We want to see a lot of development quickly, so that's something really good to have on our team," he added.

Perez, considered a national hero in Mexico, claims his passionate supporters understand the scale of the project and are not expecting immediate miracles.

"People are very happy to have me back in the sport, and they obviously understand that this is a big project, a long-term project as well," he said. "People are just very happy to see me back in Formula 1

"Obviously, Cadillac is a very popular brand in my country, so it feels like Cadillac is a really nice team for the fans as well."