Free practice for the Australian Grand Prix officially inaugurated not only the 2026 season, but also **Cadillac**’s adventure in Formula 1, with the entry of the American team bringing the number of cars on the starting grid back to twenty-two. The first two sessions for this team, however, presented several problems for the newly formed outfit, particularly for Sergio Perez.
Read more Middle East Crisis: Qatar Airways cancels hospitality events in Melbourne
Out at the start of FP2
Returning to F1 after a year of inactivity as an official driver, the Mexican first made a mistake in FP1, spinning out, and then did not take part in the subsequent FP2 due to a hydraulic system failure of his MAC-26: “Today is just the beginning – commented the former Red Bull driver – I was very proud to be on track in the first-ever free practice session for the Cadillac Formula 1 Team. Although there are many small details to fix, overall it was a big step forward for the team to get two cars on track, run them, and accumulate mileage. With the spirit and experience of this team, I am sure we will make progress. For now, we aim to proceed step by step, starting with a simpler day tomorrow and then moving on to qualifying.”
Higher up in the standings, and in both sessions, was teammate Valtteri Bottas. Also returning to F1 after a season, the Finn finished in 17th place in FP1, before setting the 19th fastest time in the following session: “First of all, it was great to be there, and thanks to the whole team for preparing the car. We had some difficulties with the car preparation, but without the curfew, the team made the most of the opportunities. That’s why it was great to be back on track, and also on a personal level, for an F1 race weekend, and for us to complete our first-ever day as Cadillac Formula 1 Team in a Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend. So, all in all, it wasn’t a trouble-free day, but we learned from every lap. We gathered a lot of useful data after the first day and we will look to improve tomorrow.”
