Friday practice will be crucial for Cadillac as Formula 1 arrives at Madrid’s new circuit. With no previous Grand Prix data to rely on, the American team will need to gather information quickly on grip levels, car behaviour and setup, while its factory supports the work taking place simultaneously at the track.
The unusual circumstances could also create an opportunity. Cadillac may be Formula 1’s newest team, but at Madring every competitor faces the same fundamental challenge of learning a circuit that is making its debut on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
Cadillac sees a more level playing field in Madrid
“It will be a weekend that tests the whole team, both at the track and back at the factory, as we analyse the data and refine the setup parameters. For the first time this season there will be a more level playing field for all the teams, and that brings optimism and opportunity,” the Cadillac team principal explained.
That lack of previous reference points is also what gives Sergio Perez some optimism ahead of the weekend.
“I’m really looking forward to Madrid. It’s a new circuit for everyone, so it represents an exciting challenge and hopefully it can give us some opportunities. From what we’ve seen, it looks fun but also demanding. A lot will depend on where we are on the grid, but I’m optimistic that we can make the most of this new event and put ourselves in a position to fight for a good result.”
Valtteri Bottas says Cadillac must learn Madring quickly
Valtteri Bottas is taking a slightly more cautious approach, identifying the speed of Cadillac’s learning process as one of the decisive factors. The team has recently shown encouraging signs in terms of reliability, but on an unfamiliar circuit it will be essential to avoid problems that could cost valuable mileage during free practice.
“Madrid should be an interesting weekend. The circuit looks like it will be a big challenge for everyone and hopefully it can create some opportunities for us. There are different characteristics around the lap, so it will be important to maintain our recent reliability progress and understand the circuit as quickly as possible so that we can then focus on the setup.”
For a team still building experience during its first Formula 1 season, every uninterrupted run will carry additional value. The faster Cadillac can establish the grip level and understand how its car responds to the circuit’s different demands, the sooner Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas can concentrate on extracting performance.
Traffic management another concern for Cadillac
Valtteri Bottas also highlighted traffic management as a potentially significant issue, particularly through the narrower sections of the new Madrid layout.
“With these cars, managing traffic is going to be complicated, especially in some of the tighter sections. We will have to stay focused and take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself during the race. It’s a new circuit for everyone and hopefully that can give us the chance to find something and have a good weekend.”
Madrid therefore represents a double unknown for Cadillac: a new team on a new circuit. That inevitably increases the difficulty of the task, but it could also offer the American squad a rare opportunity to reduce the advantage normally enjoyed by rivals with far more accumulated experience.
Much will depend on how quickly Cadillac can turn its first kilometres on Friday into genuine performance. With every team starting without previous Formula 1 race data from Madring, learning faster than the opposition could prove particularly valuable.
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