Cadillac’s Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas and Graeme Lowdon commented on the team’s new set of upgrades for the F1 2026 Austrian GP.
The American team debuted early in the year and has competed in 7 Grands Prix and 3 Sprint Races. Even with veteran drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez, they have yet to score their first points. Currently, Cadillac sits last in the Constructors’ Championship and is fighting to reduce the gap to the midfield cars.
2026 has been a year of learning and playing catch-up for the team. Bottas did not finish the race in Australia, Monaco, and Barcelona-Catalunya, and Pérez DNF in Canada. While in other races, both drivers were classified multiple laps behind the lead.
Still, each weekend the team aims to improve and reduce the mechanical failures of their MAC-26. For the Austrian GP, Cadillac has announced a new upgrade package that will include a revised floor and bodywork.
Lowdon on Cadillac’s “key challenges” for the rest of the F1 2026 season
As Cadillac introduced the upgrades, Team Principal, Graeme Lowdon, warned: “The races now come along in rapid succession, and meeting that logistical element while improving our competitive performance is one of the key challenges of this part of the year.
“We are however pleased to be able to bring another substantial upgrade package this weekend,” said Lowdon.
“With new sidepods and floor it’s a significant amount of work and we hope that it will continue our trajectory of steadily catching-up to the midfield,” he explained.
Even with the upgrades, the Red Bull Ring will put the MAC-26 to the test. The team described it as a “power track with a traditionally high rate of attrition,” which, with its extreme elevation changes and high temperatures, will challenge their reliability.
Still, Lowdon said: “We don’t underestimate the challenges Austria present, but we’re learning all the time, and I’m confident we can make progress again this weekend.”
Cadillac drivers Pérez and Bottas are optimistic for the 2026 F1 Austrian GP weekend
Both Cadillac drivers have experience around the Austrian track. Even as the team has struggled through the beginning of the 2026 F1 season, Pérez and Bottas remain encouraged by the improvement in performance.
Even though after the last race Sergio Pérez warned that the tyre degradation won’t be solved within the upgrades for Austria, the Mexican is hopeful.
“Every race it feels that we’re making progress, and there was a lot of valuable learning in getting to the checkered flag in Barcelona.
“The rate of development is very good, everyone back at the factory is going full speed to deliver new parts to the track, and the upgrade we have this weekend will hopefully provide another step,” he adds.
After a difficult DNF in Barcelona-Catalunya, Valtteri Bottas shared his teammate’s enthusiasm.
“We are always learning from experiences to understand the issues, develop the car. We’re doing that, and making progress every week,” he commented.
Personally, he highlighted some of his best moments in the Red Bull Ring.
“I have great memories of this circuit, not just the victories in 2017 and 2020, but also my first front row start, and first F1 podium, which I had here in 2014.
“This is going to be a tough weekend – but it’s one I’m really looking forward to,” the Finnish driver concluded.
