Good news for Perez and Bottas: Cadillac 'expects additional updates coming'
Photo: Race Pictures
Updated: 19:27, 15 Aug
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Kada Sárközi joined GPblog as an editor ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season. He graduated with a BA in Sports Journalism in the UK and has covered Grands Prix and other F1 events live.
Cadillac will still focus on its 2026 car after the summer break. However, with the addition of new team principal Marcin Budkowski, the team will also place greater emphasis on implementing a long-term plan.
On Wednesday, it was announced that Graeme Lowdon had been replaced by Budkowski as Cadillac's team principal. CEO Dan Towriss said the decision was made as the team begins to focus on its 2027 car as well.
Answering GPblog's question, Towriss said that updates will also be brought to the MAC-26 after the break. That is particularly good news for drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, who are looking to score Cadillac's first point in F1 during its debut campaign.
"So we are still focusing on the ‘26 car and the ‘26 season and would expect to see additional upgrades coming still this year. And then I think as we fix the teething issues and just continue to elevate performance and even the progression from the factory to the track, the smoothest with how that goes, will bring performance gains throughout the weekend. So we want to continue to perfect that.
"But like all the other teams, there's a lot of work starting on the ‘27 car as well. We're doing both. And it's important that we continue to improve performance at the track but also continue to build you know the foundations that are necessary to support the progress that we aspire for the future."
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Dan Towriss - Photo: Race Pictures
The plan of new team principal Budkowski
Cadillac's new team principal has yet to set foot in the factory, but has already shared his plan for developing the F1 team and car.
"I'm not even saying winning organizations, but competitive organizations are built in the long term. Every team that we have seen being successful and winning races or competing at the highest level of F1 has been a few years in the making and has been, has enjoyed stability and a very strong, very strong organization. In my conversation with Dan and with the top management of General Motors that's something we're exactly aligned on.
"It doesn't mean that the next race isn't important, or the season isn't important, of course it is, we're here to race, we're here every time we go to the racetrack, we want to make the best possible results, try to score some points, try to do some good performances, but it's a matter of arbitration. There are a limited amount of resources whether that's people or money within the cap that you have to distribute between this season and next season.
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"You're going to have to make these decisions at some point so take into account that this season matters and that we're learning these seasons will give us good understanding for developing next year's car, but also at some point you have to transition your resources. So I think it's a combination."
Budkowski continued: "You have to be there on the ground. That's why I will be attending races, you have to try to get the most of what you have, try to squeeze the last bit of performance from your development pipeline. But at the same time, a lot of my focus will be on looking at how the organization structure, how we working, are the right processes in place, and also, as I said at the beginning, where we want to get to, because you have to put a strategy in place in the longer term. And there's no more magic wand in F1. That's long gone. And you can't just come in and wave a magic wand and suddenly make a car more competitive.
"It's hard work. It's a lot of people having to work together and work in the same direction. And my focus will be to align the team in the right direction, give them a vision, on the future and make sure we spend our time, resources, and money on on the right things and that's going to be a combination of short-term and long-term objectives."
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