Bottas Says Austria Is the Real Test for Cadillac's Substantial Upgrade Package
Cadillac has brought a revised floor and updated sidepod bodywork to the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix, targeting their first championship point. Valtteri Bottas called the Red Bull Ring 'the real test' for the brake and cooling upgrades, noting that surviving Spielberg's demands would prove the fixes can last the rest of the calendar. Team-mate Sergio Perez shares the optimism.
Cadillac Arrives in Spielberg with Its Biggest Upgrade Yet
Cadillac has confirmed a "substantial" upgrade package for the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, with a revised floor and updated sidepod bodywork forming the headline items. [2] Valtteri Bottas described the Red Bull Ring as "the real test" for the changes, particularly the brake and cooling fixes that the team has been developing since a painful pair of retirements in Monaco and Barcelona. [1]
Two DNFs Force Cadillac's Hand on Reliability
The reliability picture has been stark. Bottas did not finish in Australia, Monaco, or Barcelona-Catalunya, while Sergio Perez retired in Canada. [3] Brake problems affected Bottas through the Monaco weekend and carried over to Barcelona, where he beached the car in FP3 before retiring from the race with overheating. [2] Those failures left Cadillac as the only team on the 2026 grid yet to score a championship point, after Perez's P10 in Monaco was wiped out by a post-race penalty for a start infringement. [1]
What the Upgrade Package Contains
The Austria package centres on new sidepod bodywork and a revised floor for the MAC-26. [6] Bottas indicated the aerodynamic gain is in the region of ten downforce points, which he described as "a decent step." [5] The bodywork changes also open up additional cooling volume for the engine, directly addressing the overheating that ended his Barcelona race. [1] Bottas added that both cars are running different diffusers compared to the previous round, giving the team more confidence that the upgrade is a genuine forward step rather than a revision of underperforming parts. [3]
On the brake side, the team has also introduced additional cooling options, and Bottas was clear about what must happen next. He said the Red Bull Ring's combination of high ambient temperatures and heavy braking zones means that if the car can survive Spielberg it can survive any remaining round on the calendar. [1]
Perez and Lowdon Add Their Perspectives
Perez, whose P14 in Barcelona was Cadillac's season-best finish at the time, said the rate of factory development has been strong and expressed confidence the Austria upgrade would bring another step closer to the midfield. [3] Team principal Graeme Lowdon framed the challenge plainly: with new sidepods and floor representing a significant engineering workload, the goal is to continue the team's "trajectory of steadily catching up to the midfield" across a stretch of four races in five weekends before the summer shutdown. [6]
:::analysis Cadillac's situation heading into Austria encapsulates the tension every new constructor faces in a regulation-change season: the window to close a performance gap narrows with every round, yet aggressive development cycles carry the risk of compounding reliability problems. The fact that Bottas set the bar explicitly at "surviving" the weekend rather than outright pace is a pragmatic acknowledgement that a first championship point is still contingent on the car finishing, not just on the new aero package delivering its simulation numbers. The Red Bull Ring's short lap time also means any thermal recurrence would show up quickly in both brakes and tyres, making it a genuine stress test rather than a gentle introduction for the parts. :::
Related reading
- [1]'This is going to be the real test' – Valtteri Bottas outlines expectations for Cadillac's Austria upgrades (formula1). Accessed 2026-06-26.
- [2]Cadillac share details of 'substantial' Austria upgrade package as F1 newcomers push to climb order (formula1). Accessed 2026-06-26.
- [3]Cadillac reveals 'substantial upgrade package' for F1 Austrian GP (motorsport). Accessed 2026-06-26.
- [4]Valtteri Bottas puts a figure on Cadillac's major Austria upgrade (planetf1). Accessed 2026-06-26.
- [5]Valtteri Bottas delivers hope for big Cadillac gains with F1 upgrades suite (motorsportweek). Accessed 2026-06-26.
- [6]Cadillac: We are pleased to be able to bring another substantial upgrade package to Austria (grandprix247). Accessed 2026-06-26.