Cadillac pair of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez feel in good shape for F1 2026 in terms of balance, but they expect slow start as they get things together.
While Cadillac got a good amount of laps under their belt across the testing, they are still clubbed together with Aston Martin to be at the fag end of the grid to start the 2026 F1 season. Both Bottas and Pérez were placed towards the bottom of lap count, after they missed a lot due to gremlins.
There was no issue which forced them to miss all day, but the smaller problems kept them in the garage for long. But both Bottas and Pérez feel that this is on expected lines, considering it is the first time that everybody has got together with the idea of proper running, rather than just collecting data.
Building Cadillac as one team
They are still building Cadillac in one piece and understanding each other’s roles. There is experience from working in F1 with other teams, but they haven’t worked together as one, which is what they are working on. They are focusing on getting the basics right, which includes reliability.
The performance aspect will come as the season progresses.
“We’ve been solving lots of issues, which is normal, being at this stage of a new team,” said Bottas in the press conference. “But the focus has been to get from that problem-solving phase to actually focusing on performance, because Melbourne will come pretty soon. But we’re getting there step by step.
“A successful year this year for us as a team is that we see clear progress. It is really not about where we start from, because I think the team has already done an incredible job to be here, to have a car, to be running. So, yeah, not about where we start from, but where we end up.
“And seeing that progress, making the car faster, making the car more reliable, becoming better as a team, all these things we just want to get better and better. So, I think that’s a good starting point and aim for this year,” summed up Bottas, as Cadillac F1 teammate Pérez mostly concurred.
Focus on tidying small details
He sees improvement at every step for Cadillac. “Yeah, I think we are really having a good time, being back,” said Pérez. “Every single test we’ve been improving quite a bit. We’re getting a lot of mileage, which has been the most important part on us. I think we knew it was going to be a very tough start, but it’s all about how quickly we can develop from here.
“And it’s been plenty of good mileage. I think we are obviously tidying up. Now, testing is over, but tidying up small details will be really good coming up for Melbourne,” summed up Pérez, who added that they were finding all the weaknesses they could in the two tests. In doing so, they could asses that the balance felt good to start the year on a good note.
Development battle key to master
The challenge for Cadillac will be the development race against its F1 rivals. “Yeah, I think it’s all about finding the weaknesses,” continued Pérez. “At the moment, the balance on the car feels good. I think we have a balanced car. We just have to go out there and find a lot of load.
“I think as a team, bit new and putting all the departments in place is going to take some time. And the challenge here will be to out-develop the teams ahead of us. I think that’s a massive challenge that we will be facing for the year.
“But I think it’s all about the foundations for the first half of the year, to be able to put the right place in the team, to be able to develop the car as quickly as possible. And hopefully we can catch up fairly soon,” summed up Pérez.
