The Cadillac team has put its Formula 1 car through its first kilometres. Following Audi, the American squad also scheduled a film day ahead of the Barcelona test programme. At Silverstone, Sergio Pérez had the honour of piloting the 2026 challenger for the first time.
Last Friday it finally happened: the first kilometres of a Cadillac Formula 1 car around Silverstone. Just as Audi did a week earlier in Barcelona, the eleventh team on the grid ran a shakedown. Sergio Pérez took the honour of being the first to sit behind the wheel of the brand-new Cadillac challenger. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas watched from the pit wall. “This is a very special moment for the Cadillac F1 team,” the Mexican said on the radio during his laps. “Let’s write history together.”
Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon underlined the milestone. “Today is the result of countless hours of hard work, dedication and belief from everyone involved in the team. It shows the progress we’ve continued to make in a short space of time,” the team principal told Motorsport Week. “It was a great opportunity for the team to work together in a proper garage environment, check the car systems and sort out any early issues. But this is only the beginning. Our focus now turns to the test days, which take place in a few weeks and will offer even more opportunities to learn.”
Hungry for more
Pérez also praised the efforts of his new employer. “Today was genuinely a brilliant day,” said the six-time Grand Prix winner. “Everyone should be incredibly proud that we completed our first laps as a team. We can and should all enjoy it, but it has absolutely motivated me for more. I just want to get back in and rack up the kilometres – this is only the beginning.”
