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Cadillac’s introduction to the F1 grid shares some stark similarities with Haas’ debut term in 2016, but the former already has a plan in place to avoid falling into the same midfield trap as the latter in future seasons.
Formula 1 fans are already enamoured with Cadillac’s livery for their very first shakedown test in the sport, which was released on Tuesday evening.
While it isn’t the livery that the American constructor will be running once the season starts, it has still provided another layer of anticipation for when cars finally hit the track for pre-season testing in February.
Through their affiliation with Ferrari as an engine supplier, Cadillac engineers were able to get some much-needed experience in the pit lane during a private test with an older car from the Scuderia.
The test also proved to be Sergio Perez’s very first time in the cockpit of an F1 car since his exit from Red Bull at the end of 2024.
- READ MORE: £1.5bn-valued F1 team are now ‘most vulnerable’ to Cadillac staff raid due to cost cap loophole
What do you think of Cadillac’s 2026 shakedown livery?
As Haas did in 2016, Cadillac have ‘outsourced’ nearly everything for their first F1 car
Ahead of Haas’ debut season in 2016, they took the FIA’s guidelines on outsourcing to its extremes as they effectively bought every part they were allowed to from their engine supplier, Ferrari.
As well as the obvious power unit that was supplied to them, Haas also opted to purchase the rear and front suspension, electronics, hydraulics and even the driver’s seats.
Dallara were contracted to handle everything else, and the business model meant that the team didn’t need half as much of the manpower that other F1 teams needed to produce a car that could at least qualify for a Grand Prix.
In a recent episode of the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Cadillac Chief Operating Officer Rob White revealed that they have gone down the same path for their debut F1 challenger.
He said, “The simple truth is that nearly everything for the 2026 car will be outsourced.
“It will be from the usual suspects that other teams have used, but we’ve got a pretty robust plan. We know where everything’s coming from, and we’ve just got to kind of make it all happen now.”
Dubbed the ‘White Ferraris’ for their use of the iconic racing outfit’s older parts, Haas fared relatively well during their first season in the sport, ending eighth in the constructors’ championship out of the 11 teams that competed.
Where will Cadillac finish in the 2026 championship?
Cadillac have a plan in store to stop them from falling into the same midfield trap as Haas
Unfortunately, Haas have never managed to make much progress since their first season. Their best ever result in the constructors’ standings came two years later when they finished fifth, but breaking into the top four teams has proved to be a big struggle.
However, Cadillac’s plans to become a fully-fledged works team in 2029 should ensure that they don’t fall into the same trap of not being able to cement themselves as a frontrunner on the grid.
Cadillac have reportedly ‘acquired’ Renault’s IP for the French manufacturer’s now defunct 2026 project, which has given the American giants a head start on their future plans.
Renault pulled the rug out from under the engine development project during the 2025 campaign, which saw Alpine strike a deal to be supplied with Mercedes engines for the foreseeable future.
Indeed, there’s no guarantee that building their own engines completely in-house will solve any competitive woes Cadillac experiences in future campaigns, but they will be in a unique position to gain an advantage over the rest of the field if they prove to set a benchmark with it.
Building a power unit that can seamlessly synergise with the chassis that they are also building is integral to finding an advantage in areas that not everyone has access to.
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