The 2026 Formula 1 season has already been filled with milestones for the Cadillac team. Having made its debut in Formula 1 this year, the American outfit has already experienced its first Grand Prix in Australia, completed its first qualifying session, crossed the finish line for the first time, and carried out its first pit stop.
Although the team is still waiting to score its first championship points, the Monte Carlo weekend will mark another particularly significant first in Cadillac’s history: its first-ever European Grand Prix.
A landmark event for Cadillac as new upgrades are introduced
The Monaco round is set to be an emotional and important occasion for the team. Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss is eagerly awaiting the start of the weekend and highlighted the significance of the event.
“Monaco represents an important milestone for us: we will tackle our first European race at one of the most demanding events of the entire season. Up to this point, we have taken steps forward at every race. Our objective is to remain focused, keep improving, and continue working hard to accelerate all of our development processes.”
As a new team, it is only natural that the opening phase of the season has been challenging from both a performance and results perspective. However, team principal Graeme Lowdon is approaching the Monaco Grand Prix with a pragmatic mindset.
“The Monte Carlo circuit, by its very nature, represents a huge challenge for every team, especially for a newly established team like ours. We made significant progress in Miami and Montréal, but while Monaco can create major opportunities because of its unpredictability, we need to stay focused on our objectives: finishing the race without incidents and concentrating on the upgrades that we will introduce this weekend,” said the team principal as he outlined the squad’s plans for the famous street race.
The drivers’ expectations ahead of Monaco
“We made a big step forward in Canada,” began Mexican driver Sergio Perez. “I was able to fight in the midfield both in the Sprint and in Sunday’s race. There are still areas where we need to improve, but we are a new team. We are progressing together as a group. Monaco is a unique and extremely demanding circuit, but it is also one of my favourite events on the calendar. I have some fantastic memories there, including my victory in 2022, so I am confident that we can continue making progress.”
On the other side of the garage, Valtteri Bottas reflected on the recent races and the learning process that comes with building a new Formula 1 team from the ground up.
“The last few races have been a little difficult for me. We have had some issues to deal with, but we are still a new team. It is all part of the learning process. These things take time, but we are working well together. Continuing to make progress and becoming more competitive session after session is exciting. Monaco is challenging, but I really enjoy racing there. We will see what we can achieve.”
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