What Cadillac have now told Ferrari about their 2026 F1 engine after first run at Silverstone

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Ferrari might be breathing a sigh of relief ahead of pre-season testing for the 2026 Formula 1 season after Cadillac took to the track for the very first time.

Cadillac were one of the first teams to take to the track with their 2026 F1 car after completing a private filming day at Silverstone.

The American team allowed Sergio Perez to become the first driver ever to complete a lap in a Cadillac F1 car ahead of their debut at the Australian Grand Prix.

Although Cadillac will eventually become a works team once General Motors have completed production of their own engine, for now, they’re using Ferrari power units.

So much of the talk heading into the 2026 season and the upcoming regulations is about the new engines.

Mercedes and Red Bull might have discovered a loophole, while in Maranello, Ferrari are experimenting with using steel cylinders.

Although there were previously rumours about Ferrari’s engine having some issues before the start of the season, Cadillac might have just provided Fred Vasseur’s team with some vital ‘positive’ data.

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

Cadillac’s first 2026 F1 run gives Ferrari ‘decidedly positive’ engine data

A report from Formula Uno Analisi Tecnica has shared more information on what Ferrari learned from Cadillac’s 200km run at Silverstone.

It’s believed that Cadillac’s engineers gave ‘excellent feedback’ on the Ferrari engine, and a delay in starting it up came from a ‘poorly calibrated ignition system’, rather than any issues with the power unit.

Although Cadillac’s car is unlikely to resemble the SF-26, the performance of the engine is the most important thing for Ferrari when either Perez or Valtteri Bottas are on track.

It’s believed that Cadillac’s test run ‘confirmed expectations’ for Ferrari, and the fact that Graeme Lowdon’s team didn’t encounter any issues was seen as ‘decidedly positive’ by those at Ferrari.

Everything has to be taken with a pinch of salt, though, as Cadillac didn’t complete enough laps to really push the new hybrid engine.

But, ‘all the feedback’ from Cadillac has ‘confirmed Ferrari’s optimism’ for now, meaning they can head into the first three days of testing in Barcelona confident that they shouldn’t experience any initial setbacks.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory

How Zhou Guanyu could be the key to Cadillac fully understanding Ferrari’s 2026 engine

Cadillac will enjoy a similar relationship with Ferrari to Haas, although they will quickly become more autonomous than the Banbury-based team as they get up to speed.

It’s hard to believe that they’ll have two cars on the grid at the Australian Grand Prix, considering their entry wasn’t officially confirmed until last March.

Many believe Cadillac will be at the back of the grid in 2026, although Perez and Bottas are two very experienced drivers.

It’s since been confirmed that Zhou Guanyu will be Cadillac’s reserve driver, bringing even more F1 experience to the sport’s newest team.

Not only that, but Zhou has plenty of experience with Ferrari power units, having been their reserve driver last season.

Zhou is said to be ‘crucial’ to getting Cadillac up to speed, and will be ‘working closely’ with Perez, Bottas and the simulator team to help with correlation.

Although many people wanted to see Cadillac give a young driver a chance this year, the trio of drivers they’ve decided on might end up giving them the best chance of immediate success.