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Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are getting stuck into life at Cadillac ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, and they are already finding problems.
The American outfit have opted for two veterans for their first season in F1, with Perez and Bottas boasting years of experience with multiple teams.
Who wins the testing livery crown? 👇
As they look to build an entirely new project, Cadillac needed to recruit two experienced heads to give them the right feedback and solve any issues. Pre-season testing has already proven how vital that was.
Cadillac had trouble starting their engine during their first shakedown session at Silverstone. There were also ‘whispers’ that Cadillac failed to complete a 200km run on a filming day.
Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas agree that Cadillac must make progress with their F1 car after testing issues
The problems followed them to the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona for the first official shakedown of the 2026 season. Perez and Bottas completed only 44 laps on day one, the second-lowest of the teams.
Perez said Cadillac had ‘a lot of issues’ throughout the day, but he was surprisingly positive about it as he stressed that the team needed to get them out of the way now.
The Mexican and his teammate spoke to Motor Sport Magazine about the progress they expect to see from Cadillac in 2026. They both agree that they should make the most of the teams and that their season will depend on where they are at the end.
“We all start from zero anyway,” said Perez. “The regulation changes are huge, especially on the engine side, and that will impact driving styles a lot. Cadillac should be the team that progresses the most throughout the year.”
Bottas agreed, stating that the Barcelona tests mark the start of a long process for the team: “It’s not that much about where we start, it’s about where we end up.”
READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers
What can Cadillac realistically achieve in 2026?
Being a new team on the grid, expectations from the paddock might not be high for F1’s newcomers. In fact, Cadillac are being cautious about their debut season.
Perez and Bottas will have to face getting knocked out of Q1 regularly to begin the season. The reality is that they will be up against teams that have been well-established in the sport.
As the drivers point out, the important thing is to make as much progress with the car as physically possible and get them in a position to fight their rivals.
Points finishes might be scarce in 2026, but if they can be achieved, it would be a commendable feat from F1’s 11th team.
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