Cadillac F1 Team heads to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve for the 2026 Canadian GP with momentum from its first home race in Miami. The American team showed strong reliability across both the Sprint and Grand Prix in Florida, bringing both cars to the finish while also taking a clear step forward with its first major upgrade package. Montreal will offer a different test, with its stop-start layout, long straights and unforgiving walls demanding quick adaptation across a Sprint weekend. With further updates set to arrive, including changes aimed at improving curb riding, Cadillac will look to build on its progress as Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas continue to push the MAC-26 closer to its rivals.
Lowdon encouraged by Cadillac’s Miami progress ahead of Montreal
Team Principal Graeme Lowdon saw Miami as an important step forward for the Cadillac F1 team. The team not only gained performance from its first major upgrade package, but also backed it up with another reliable weekend as both cars reached the finish in the Sprint and Grand Prix. Its work in the pit lane also underlined that progress, with two stops ranking among the fastest of the weekend. As Cadillac turns its focus to Montreal, Lowdon’s message was clear: the team wants to carry that momentum into a very different challenge and continue its upward trend.
“The team performed really well in Miami. We introduced our first major upgrade package, which resulted in a notable increase in performance, and once again, both cars finished in the Sprint and the Grand Prix, which was a great result. The team also executed two pit stops that were among the top 10 fastest of the weekend, showing that, from an operational standpoint, we are on a strong upward trajectory. The goal in Montreal, which is a very different circuit from Miami, is to build on that momentum and keep making such progress.”
Pérez targets refinement after encouraging Miami gains
Pérez also took plenty of encouragement from Cadillac’s progress in Miami. The Mexican felt the team showed stronger pace from the opening sessions, while the first major upgrade package gave clear signs that its development direction was paying off on track. Although there was still more performance to unlock, Pérez saw important flashes of progress across the weekend.
For him, the next step is about refinement and consistency. Cadillac has shown that it can bring effective upgrades, but now needs to extract more from the MAC-26 across every area and put the full package together when it matters. If the team can achieve that in Montreal, Pérez believes it can move closer to the group ahead and continue closing the gap.
“Miami was a very enjoyable weekend. We had improved pace from the start, and we showed our ability to bring major upgrades that delivered on track. This is really encouraging. Now it’s about refining what we have and extracting the real potential in all elements. There were definite flashes of real progress, and we need to put it all together at the same time. If we can do this, I believe we’ll be closer to the pack in front. I can’t wait to get on track.”
Bottas relishes 2026 F1 Canadian GP challenge as Cadillac looks to build momentum
Bottas shared a similar view after Miami, despite his race not fully unfolding the way Cadillac had hoped. The Finn still saw the weekend as a clear step forward, with the team showing stronger potential and a more competitive baseline after its first major upgrade package.
Looking ahead to the 2026 F1 Canadian GP, Bottas expected a very different test for him and Cadillac. The technical nature of Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, combined with its close walls and the compressed Sprint format, will leave little room for error as Cadillac works to find performance quickly. However, it is also a circuit Bottas knows well and enjoys, having performed strongly there in the past. With his name still attached to the official lap record, he will head into the weekend motivated to help Cadillac F1 continue its recent progress.
“While our race didn’t go entirely to plan in Miami, we clearly made a big step forward. We showed good potential, which is really positive. This weekend will be a new challenge for us as the track is very technical, the walls are very close, and we will have to get up to speed quickly because of the Sprint format. But Montreal is a venue that I really enjoy, and I’ve performed well at in the past – I still enjoy seeing my name as the lap record holder! I’m looking forward to continuing our progress.”
