Cadillac is preparing a significant performance-focused upgrade package for the Canadian Grand Prix, as the American team looks to accelerate the development of its MAC-26 challenger. The squad led by Graeme Lowdon will arrive in Montreal with a substantial batch of aerodynamic and mechanical updates aimed at improving overall competitiveness.
As GP-News had previously revealed in this earlier report, the Formula 1 newcomer — which joined the grid this season as the championship’s 11th team — had focused primarily on reliability during the opening four rounds of the campaign. However, the Canadian Grand Prix marks a clear shift in direction, with Cadillac now prioritising outright performance development.
Cadillac brings major MAC-26 upgrades to Montreal
The MAC-26 will undergo an extensive revision from both an aerodynamic and mechanical perspective. Updates will be spread across multiple areas of the car, beginning with the front end, where Cadillac will introduce an all-new front wing.
Additional changes will focus on the rear section of the car, with a redesigned floor and an entirely new diffuser also making their debut in Canada. On the mechanical side, Cadillac will introduce revised rear suspension components, specifically aimed at improving tyre behaviour and overall stability.
These upgrades complete the second phase of the development package that began at the Miami Grand Prix earlier this month. According to the team’s official communication, the update package also includes “new front brake ducts, diffuser refinements and winglets, as well as front torsion bars, which will improve the car’s ability to handle aggressive kerbs such as those at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.”
Cadillac vs Aston Martin: an unexpected 2026 Formula 1 battle
Since the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Cadillac has found itself in an unlikely fight with Aston Martin to avoid finishing at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship. It is a surprising contest, considering Aston Martin had been widely tipped to emerge as a potential front-running team this year after Lawrence Stroll’s enormous investment and the arrival of Adrian Newey to spearhead the technical programme.
Yet the current reality tells a very different story. Cadillac and the Silverstone-based outfit are now effectively chasing the same immediate target, with both teams showing remarkably similar levels of performance.
In Miami, Cadillac already demonstrated that meaningful progress had been made compared to the opening three races of the season. The next question is whether Aston Martin can respond, with the British team also expected to bring its own upgrade package to Montreal as part of its recovery effort.
Sergio Perez confident Cadillac can keep progressing
“We are in a race against time to find performance,” Cadillac driver Sergio Perez said. “We know Aston Martin will continue to improve, and we do not want to be left behind.”
“Miami was a very positive weekend,” Sergio Perez added. “We showed stronger pace from the beginning and demonstrated our ability to bring meaningful upgrades that delivered real results on track. That is genuinely encouraging.”
“Now it is about refining what we already have and extracting the car’s true potential in every area. There have been clear signs of genuine progress, and we need to put everything together at the same time. If we can do that, I believe we will be much closer to the front group.”
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