The dream of the first Formula 1 Grand Prix has come true for Cadillac, with the American team finally taking part in the long-awaited Melbourne weekend. A weekend that, however, proved difficult for the new outfit that brought the number of registered teams back to eleven: after the elimination of both drivers in Q1, the latter did not reach the top-15 in the race.
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The one who came closest, however, was Sergio Perez, who commented on his return as an official driver and his 16th place: “Our first race as a team is over. Completing it is incredible and a real achievement, just one year after the confirmation of the entry. Now that all this is over, we must focus on performance to be able to give our best. We feel competitive within the team, and this is the attitude we need from now on to be able to close the gap and aim for something big”.
More unfortunate, however, was the return of Valtteri Bottas. The Finn had to wave the white flag on lap 15 due to a technical problem, thus retiring from the race: “Today we made history as a team. It’s our first Grand Prix weekend ever, and we’re here, we’re racing, and it’s a proud moment for everyone. It’s a shame that the race was cut short for me due to a fuel system issue, but we learned a lot. The team did a great job to finish the race with Checo’s car. There are still many positives to take from this weekend, and it’s just the beginning of this journey together. I enjoyed it and I can’t wait to get to China and try again”.
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