Cadillac has set an extremely tight schedule for the debut of its first Formula 1 car. Team principal Graeme Lowdon announced during the recent Brazilian Grand Prix that the Ferrari-powered car will have its first engine start within 50 days of the São Paulo event, before Christmas. “The first engine start will take place exactly 50 days after the São Paulo weekend,” Lowdon confirmed.
Immediately after, in January, the team plans its first on-track test, likely as a promotional run, limited to 200 km. The true test will come with the official pre-season testing in Barcelona, scheduled from January 26 to 30. “Everything is going according to plan,” he added. “The first start will be before Christmas, the first outing in January, and then we’ll be in Barcelona at the end of the month.”
Time is the American team’s main adversary. The project only received final approval in March of this year, leaving less than a year to accomplish a task that normally requires far more time. Within this period, the team must design the car from scratch, build it, hire hundreds of engineers, mechanics, and technicians, and establish two operational bases: one in Fishers, USA, and another in Silverstone, UK.
“Time is the number one enemy in a project like this,” Graeme Lowdon said gravely. “We committed to being ready for the first race in Melbourne in the first week of March, and this deadline cannot be postponed. There’s a lot to do: we not only have to build the car, but also design it, hire staff, and build a factory. It’s a real challenge.”
The legacy of the Andretti project and the new regulations
Cadillac’s F1 journey arises from the ashes of the Andretti project, which struggled for years to gain FIA and FOM approval. After bureaucratic obstacles, negotiations, and refusals, the American giant took over, turning the idea into reality.
The entry coincides with a regulatory turning point: 2026 will introduce new technical rules with more powerful hybrid engines and revamped aerodynamics. The American team will use a Ferrari power unit, a strategic choice ensuring reliability and performance. “We chose Ferrari because they are a trusted and proven partner,” Graeme Lowdon explained, “but that doesn’t change the fact that we have to build everything else from scratch.”
Graeme Lowdon views the 2026 technical overhaul as a double-edged sword. “When regulations are stable, objectives are clear,” he stated. “For example, we know McLaren is the most competitive right now. But for 2026, nobody knows who will be fastest. Not having a clear benchmark has its disadvantages, but this is the sport and what attracts fans.”
However, for Cadillac, it represents an opportunity: the playing field is leveled. “The advantage for us is that this major regulation change presents new challenges for all teams, including ours,” he continued. “Nobody knows where any team will be. You can ask any team principal: they don’t know either. This is the exciting part, because we don’t even know where we ourselves will be.”
Experience but no cohesion yet
The American franchise boasts thousands of years of combined F1 experience, with engineers and technicians from top teams. Yet, they have been working together as a group for less than a year. “The first challenge is to make the team operate smoothly,” Graeme Lowdon admitted. “Our staff has thousands of years of combined F1 experience, but has worked together for less than a year. From any starting point, the question is how quickly we can improve, and that is our focus.”
The challenge is greater than for other teams because the American squad must build everything within extremely tight deadlines. “I think it’s an advantage to compete during a regulation change,” he concluded optimistically.
Every effort is focused on a single goal: being on the grid ready for Melbourne in the first week of March. “We are here to race, not just participate,” Graeme Lowdon stated with determination. “The Ferrari engine, operational bases, experienced staff, and regulatory uncertainty are the pillars of this project. We are sticking to the plan, and when the rules change, everyone starts from scratch. We included.”
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