Cadillac hoping to leave the bottom of the standings behind
As the fifth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season approaches this weekend in Montreal, Cadillac finds itself sharing an unwanted statistic with Aston Martin. The American newcomer remains without a single point in the Constructors’ Championship, still searching for its first breakthrough of the campaign.
However, there is renewed hope heading into the Canadian Grand Prix. After introducing an upgrade package in Miami, Cadillac will arrive in Montreal with another set of developments aimed at continuing its progress. The team is hoping these changes can help close the gap to the midfield and finally move it away from the foot of the standings.
Cadillac targeting further progress in Canada
Adding to that optimism is the strong relationship both drivers have with the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Over the course of their Formula 1 careers, both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas have stood on the podium in Montreal, giving Cadillac extra reason to believe the Canadian weekend could offer an opportunity for improvement.
Speaking ahead of the event, Sergio Perez expressed confidence following the encouraging signs shown in Miami:
“The Miami weekend was very positive. We improved our pace from the very beginning and showed that we are capable of bringing important upgrades that then translate onto the track. That is really encouraging. Now it is about refining what we have and extracting the true potential in every area. There have definitely been glimpses of real progress, and we need to put everything together at the same time. If we manage to do that, I believe we will be closer to the leading group. I can’t wait to get back on track.”
Valtteri Bottas’ strong Montreal record
While the former Red Bull driver has claimed just one podium in Canada, Valtteri Bottas has enjoyed a much stronger record at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Finnish driver secured four consecutive podium finishes in Montreal between 2015 and 2018, achieving that run with both Williams and Mercedes.
Despite Cadillac’s Miami race not fully going according to plan, Valtteri Bottas highlighted the progress the team has already made:
“Even though our race in Miami did not go exactly as planned, we clearly made a big step forward. We showed good potential, which is really positive. This weekend will be another challenge for us because the track is very technical, the walls are extremely close, and we will need to get up to speed quickly because of the Sprint format.
“But Montreal is a circuit I really like and where I have achieved strong results in the past. It is still nice to see my name among the lap record holders! I am looking forward to continuing to improve.”
Cadillac’s prospects at the Canadian Grand Prix heavily depend on blending their new aerodynamic components with the veteran experience of their driver lineup. While the team’s current position at the bottom of the standings does not reflect their massive structural investment, the fast, stop-and-go nature of the Montreal track offers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez a prime opportunity to exploit their past podium-winning expertise. Navigating a high-stress Sprint schedule with an unrefined car remains an intense operational hurdle, but if the engineers can seamlessly dial in the tyre warm-up parameters on Friday, Cadillac could finally lock in the consistency needed to break their duck and secure their maiden F1 points.
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