Cadillac recently tested with a completely black Ferrari SF-23 at the Imola circuit. The American team is preparing for its Formula 1 debut in 2026 and gained valuable insights from these first laps in a physical car. According to team boss Graeme Lowdon, the tests were not about driver Sergio Pérez, but about preparing the mechanics for a real Grand Prix weekend.
In mid-November, Sergio Pérez, future Cadillac driver and not tied to other Formula 1 teams, got behind the wheel of a black Ferrari SF-23 at Imola. For two days, he clocked up miles on behalf of the Americans. Graeme Lowdon emphasized how important the test was for the still young organization, which will enter Formula 1 with Ferrari engines from 2026. “It was a very useful exercise,” he told the media in Las Vegas. “As a team, we have a tremendous amount of experience; we have 2500 years of experience in leadership positions, but in total we have worked together for less than one year.
Mechanics Tested with Ferrari
To compensate for this, Cadillac is simulating complete race weekends. “In terms of technology, we have done practice races, which are very realistic. We put on the headphones and we run the entire weekend as if we were at the circuit.” These simulations go quite far, as Lowdon explained. “We even send every document to a fictitious FIA email address; everything is simulated. We immerse ourselves in all kinds of scenarios with all kinds of possible problems. Think, for example, of a problem with the delivery of parts during a race.”
Thus, the TPC day at Imola served a different role than a traditional test. “During those simulations, the mechanics naturally have little to do; you can’t simulate working on the car. The focus of the TPC test was to fill that gap. We are grateful to Ferrari for lending us a Formula 1 car, because we want to make everything as realistic as possible. For the mechanics, who have to go through general procedures, start procedures, and a quick turnaround from Q1 to Q2, you can only practice with a real Formula 1 car.”
