Cadillac endured another disastrous weekend at the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, with Valtteri Bottas unable to start the race because of a technical problem involving a wheel nut, while Sergio Perez finished a disappointing 18th after another slow pit stop. The American team’s difficult debut Formula 1 season continued at Interlagos, leaving it facing the increasingly realistic prospect of finishing last in the constructors’ championship without scoring a single point.
The Brazilian Grand Prix proved particularly frustrating for Valtteri Bottas, whose race ended before it had even begun despite qualifying 17th. Sergio Perez at least managed to compete, recovering from the back of the grid following a power unit penalty, but his afternoon was also compromised by problems during a pit stop.
Cadillac’s Brazilian GP nightmare continues as points drought deepens
Cadillac’s difficult introduction to Formula 1 shows little sign of improving as the 2026 season approaches its conclusion. The American outfit remains without a championship point and faces the prospect of ending its first campaign at the bottom of the constructors’ standings.
The latest setback came at Interlagos, where neither Cadillac driver was able to challenge for the points. While Sergio Perez managed to finish the race in 18th position, Valtteri Bottas was prevented from taking the start by an unexpected technical problem.
The result added to a challenging season for the American manufacturer, which has struggled to achieve consistent competitiveness and reliability. With only the final races remaining, Cadillac is running out of opportunities to secure its first Formula 1 points.
Valtteri Bottas reveals wheel nut problem that prevented Brazilian GP start
Valtteri Bottas had qualified 17th for the Brazilian Grand Prix, but the former Mercedes driver never reached the starting grid. A problem discovered before the race prevented Cadillac’s mechanics from removing the right-rear wheel nut while attempting to change a tyre.
“It’s a shame that I wasn’t able to take part in the race,” Valtteri Bottas explained. “Before the lap to the grid, we tried to change a tyre, but we couldn’t undo the right-rear wheel nut.”
The Finnish driver confirmed that Cadillac had not yet established the precise cause of the problem. However, the team intends to investigate the failure and use the findings to prevent a similar incident in the future.
“We still don’t know exactly what caused the problem, but we’ll learn from it to make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future.”
Despite the disappointment of missing the race, Valtteri Bottas found some encouragement in Cadillac’s qualifying performance. The team had shown flashes of competitive pace, providing at least one positive aspect of an otherwise frustrating weekend.
“At least we managed to show some good pace at times in qualifying. Now we’ll regroup ahead of the final races, aiming to finish the season with a positive result.”
Sergio Perez frustrated by recurring Cadillac pit stop problems
Sergio Perez avoided the technical difficulties that prevented his team-mate from competing, but his Brazilian Grand Prix was far from straightforward. The Mexican started from the back of the grid after receiving a penalty for changing power unit components and eventually recovered to 18th place.
The penalty was part of a wider series of engine-related sanctions at Interlagos, with Sergio Perez among the drivers exceeding their permitted power unit component allocations ahead of the Grand Prix.
“It was a very difficult race, with mixed wet and dry conditions,” Sergio Perez explained. “The field was very close together, so I think we managed to achieve a good finishing position while fighting with the other cars.”
The former Red Bull driver made an encouraging start, immediately overtaking Gabriel Bortoleto before becoming involved in further battles with the Audi driver and Carlos Sainz. However, Cadillac’s hopes of improving its position were undermined by a slow pit stop.
“I made a good start and managed to overtake Gabriel Bortoleto straight away. Later, I battled with him and Carlos Sainz, but unfortunately we had a very slow pit stop.”
Sergio Perez believes the problem may have been a recurrence of the difficulties Cadillac experienced at the Mexican Grand Prix. He emphasised the need for the team to improve its pit stop equipment and execution before the season concludes.
“I think it’s the same problem we encountered in Mexico, so it’s definitely something we need to work on. We need to make sure we fix our equipment and that everything works perfectly so we can finish the season in a much stronger way.”
Cadillac searches for improvement ahead of final 2026 F1 races
The Brazilian Grand Prix highlighted two different but equally frustrating problems for Cadillac. Valtteri Bottas was unable to compete because of an issue discovered before the start, while Sergio Perez lost valuable time during a pit stop after making progress through the field.
With both drivers determined to finish the campaign more positively, the American team must now address the technical and operational difficulties that have repeatedly affected its results. The Brazilian Grand Prix classification underlined another disappointing weekend for Cadillac as its search for a first championship point continues.
For Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, the priority is to avoid further setbacks and make the most of the remaining opportunities. Cadillac’s debut season has proved challenging, and the team will be hoping to end 2026 with a result that offers encouragement for the future.
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