Perez Withdraws from Mexico Fan Forum as Illness Sweeps Paddock Before 300th Start

Sergio Perez's milestone home weekend began with an unwelcome detour. The Cadillac driver withdrew from Friday's Fan Forum at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez ahead of first practice, becoming the third Formula 1 driver laid low by illness in Mexico City.

Why it matters:

Perez is marking his 300th Grand Prix start in front of his home crowd — a celebration years in the making. With Cadillac still carving out its place on the grid and Mexican fans turning out in force, losing their hero to sickness, even briefly, undercuts the weekend's emotional centerpiece.

The details:

• Cadillac confirmed Perez would sit out the forum but insisted his participation in FP1 and FP2 is unaffected.
• Valtteri Bottas, his teammate and also reportedly unwell, will handle all media duties and take part in FP2 as planned.
• Kimi Antonelli, set to be crowned world champion this season, was already sidelined from Thursday media with a viral illness.
• Max Verstappen has pointed the finger squarely at the calendar, with 23 rounds and a punishing run of triple-headers straining the paddock.

What's next:

Cadillac is downplaying the scare, giving Perez the morning to rest before track action begins. But with three drivers affected in a single weekend, the conversation around driver welfare and the schedule will only grow louder. For Perez, the priority is simple: recover fast and make his 300th start count.