Cadillac’s Formula 1 team made a bold statement in Miami, marking their first race on US soil with a noticeable step forward in performance. The team brought a significant upgrade package to the fourth weekend of the season, and the early signs suggest they’re closing in on the midfield pack.
The MAC-26 rolled out with updated front wing flaps and end plates, a new floor, revised floor boards, and a fresh rear brake drum—all part of a major development push. Team Principal Graeme Lowdon was optimistic: “We brought some big upgrades to the track this weekend, and it looks as if most if not all of that is working. There’s a big weight-saving program on the car and some significant aero upgrades. We saw real positives.”
On track, Cadillac locked horns with the Honda-powered Aston Martin squad, a familiar battleground. Fernando Alonso edged out Sergio Perez by just 2.5 seconds for 15th place, while Perez comfortably beat Lance Stroll by another five seconds. Valtteri Bottas, however, had a tough day, finishing last among 18 classified runners after a drive-through penalty for pit lane speeding—a mistake he attributed to a known issue with the steering wheel limiter button.
Cadillac’s main hurdle remains tire management. The team struggled to get the soft compound working effectively, and the hard tire showed higher degradation on Miami’s smooth, low-grip surface. “One of the short-term things we need to do is hard tire deg,” Perez explained. “We have some ideas there.”
Despite these challenges, there were flashes of promise. Perez tangled with the back of the midfield pack during Saturday’s Sprint Race, offering a glimpse of what could be. “I’m confident we’re heading in the right direction,” he said. “As soon as the degradation settles, we can be with them—the midfield—but they’re just able to pick up the pace quite a lot. It’s still a long season, and we’re in a massive hurry to find performance.”
For a team still in its infancy, Miami showed that Cadillac is not just participating—they’re pushing. With a clear development path and a hungry driver lineup, the fight for midfield contention is just heating up.