Cadillac's F1 Quest: “Our Silverstone shakedown felt like a miracle”

As the new Formula One season kicks off on Sunday amid the usual buzz of excitement, pause to note the Cadillac squad. Prior to the start in Melbourne, the sport’s latest entrant will briefly pause to acknowledge the notable feat of merely reaching the grid.

The American outfit, supported by General Motors, has been assembled from the ground up—apart from the early planners—just over a year after its entry received official sanction. Team principal Graeme Lowdon recalled that the effort started in an empty space armed only with a screwdriver and a sheet of A4 paper.

Although Audi also joins the grid, it does so by acquiring the existing Sauber operation; Cadillac represents the first brand‑new constructor to start from scratch since Haas entered ten years earlier. Veteran drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez will lead the car, and Bottas—ten‑time race winner who once partnered Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes when that team set the standard—understands the magnitude of Cadillac’s effort.

He remarks, “Everyone has put in an enormous amount of work over the past months. Completing our shakedown at Silverstone in January felt like a miracle to me. Viewed that way, it’s a remarkable accomplishment for a team built from nothing.

It’s hard to convey the scale—hundreds of staff, thousands of components that must be designed and produced. There are countless points where the car could fail. It takes a massive collective effort to reach this stage. People often hear ‘new team’ and assume it’s simple, which isn’t the case.”

After receiving provisional clearance at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, the squad—currently running Ferrari power units until GM introduces its own in 2029—has expanded rapidly across all areas. Staff count now stands at roughly 600, with hiring averaging one person per day during the season. In addition to its UK base at Silverstone, the team is finalising a headquarters in Fishers, Indianapolis, and constructing an engine‑production plant at GM’s Charlotte, North Carolina, facility.

Those linked to the project emphasize GM’s strong commitment, suggesting the automaker pursues a long‑term goal of building a championship‑capable operation rather than merely filling seats. Accordingly, they have sought experienced personnel.

Jon Tomlinson, formerly of Williams, joins as head of aerodynamics. Nick Chester, previously with Renault, serves as technical director, while seasoned manager Peter Crolla arrives from Haas. The team also secured Pat Symonds, who has worked with Benetton, Renault and Williams and most recently held the role of chief technical officer in Formula One.