Cadillac F1 - expectations?

[Mortarboard]

Two months to car launch (ish)

HAAS had an ok debut season (but weren't completely "new")

Cadillac will have Ferrari engines, albeit new design 2026 units.

Im hoping they'll be midfield competitive by season end.

M.

[MissChief]

They certainly have an advantage in coming in with new regulations. I wouldn't be surprised to see a points score before the summer break, maybe even several.

[uktrailmonster]

Chassis design in England, manufacturing in US and wind tunnel in Germany sounds like a dog’s dinner to me. I wouldn’t expect too much next year. Just arriving at the first race with a finished car would be an achievement.

[MadCaptainJack]

I'd love to see them come in and be competing for podiums by the end of the first season but past experience tells me that they're more likely to be backmarkers...

[Mortarboard]

Is it too much to hope Sergio dons a mustache, like Valtieri?

M.

[kambites]

If they're not last by a substantial margin, that's a win IMO.

[uktrailmonster]

MadCaptainJack said:

I'd love to see them come in and be competing for podiums by the end of the first season but past experience tells me that they're more likely to be backmarkers...

Yeah, it’s really hard even getting fhe logistics sorted. Even well established teams with years of experience find it hard work at the start of every season. Designing a competitive car is one thing, then building it and getting it to the trackside with all the spares support and a well oiled operational team is another monumental challenge.

There are many cogs in the machine which all need to work seamlessly. I’ve been to winter tests where a brand new car is sat in the garage unable to turn a wheel due to missing critical parts. Even had one sat there because it was missing a steering column UJ. 100 guys all stood around in Spain waiting for it to arrive from the UK factory. Now if your factory is in the US, that’s another 8 hours away.

Anyway, hope it works out for them. You never know. Nobody predicted Brawn F1 was going to be so successful. I don’t think they even made it to winter testing!

[Mortarboard]

I think logistics for Cad F1 is in the uk. Design in Italy, HQ in south Carolina.

When they say design in Italy, do they mean to "do a HAAS", and definitely not copy Ferrari's homework, honest?

M.

[marine boy]

uktrailmonster said:

Chassis design in England, manufacturing in US and wind tunnel in Germany sounds like a dog s dinner to me. I wouldn t expect too much next year. Just arriving at the first race with a finished car would be an achievement.

^^^^^ what he said ^^^^^

It's hard enough doing in F1 car with a long established team when design is upstairs, manufacturing downstairs and wind tunnel on site in a different building

Zero chance of being mid-field

Last or 2nd to last if Alpine carry on as they're doing now

[hondajack85]

Great first season . Maybe points in 1st race. A bit of a struggle to keep up as seasons go on.
Bit like the Haas story unfolded.

[Milkyway]

A new team with two drivers that I like.
So, I'm predicting them to be getting into Q2 on a regular basis by the Summer break.
Post break...dipping their toes into Q3.

Some top ten finishes & embarrassing a few well established teams.

[Mortarboard]

Ferrari engine performance will likely be a big influence. If it's competitive e, or otherwise.

M.