– Cadillac has reached its first Formula 1 milestone at the Australian Grand Prix. Sergio Perez brought the new US team’s car to the finish line, which team principal Lowdon considers a clear success for the entire organization.
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“I am really pleased that we brought a car home,” Lowdon said after the race. The fact that more wasn’t possible was also due to Valtteri Bottas retiring from the race with a steering wheel problem. Click here for the results.
The defect came at a very inconvenient time: just as the pits were considering strategic stops, problems with Bottas’ car began to mount. A steering wheel change in the pit lane helped briefly, but ultimately he had to retire the car.
Supplier part caused problems
Lowdon made no secret of his frustration: “We don’t manufacture the steering wheels ourselves, so it’s simply not good to be let down like this.” The team will analyze the incident and provide a remedy.
For Sergio Perez, on the other hand, the strategy went smoothly. The team switched from the planned one-stop to two stops during the race. Since there was no more pressure from behind after the tough duel against Lawson (being last has its advantages sometimes), he was given another stint on a different tire type. The pit stop itself was completed in just over two seconds.
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Perez was already looking ahead after the race: “The first step has been taken. Finishing the race as a team was incredible. Now the grace period is over, we have to make big steps and close the gap.”
Simulator work was the key
Intensive preparation played an important role in the success. Lowdon emphasized that the team had completed an extensive race simulation program. Without this, finishing in Melbourne would have been almost impossible.
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“I would even go further: without it, it would have been incredibly difficult to even try to finish,” Lowdon explained. The simulations helped the entire staff make the right decisions in stressful moments.
The team worked across three locations: Charlotte in the USA, Silverstone in England, and the pit wall in Melbourne. Lowdon described how the voices on the intercom came from all three locations without anyone noticing a difference.
Data as a goldmine for the future
Valtteri Bottas also remained combative despite his retirement. The Finn emphasized that Cadillac was even able to keep Aston Martin behind at the start, which he described as encouraging. “The only way from here is up,” he said.
At the start itself, Bottas delivered a strong performance and overtook several competitors. However, graining set in with the hard tire before the steering wheel problems ended his race day prematurely.
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The team collected more race data in Melbourne than ever before. Lowdon confirmed that the stint in the Grand Prix was the longest in the team’s history. But he also emphasized: “It doesn’t happen overnight, because everyone else is also continuing to develop.”
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