Heading into its debut season as a newcomer to F1, there are chances that Cadillac could be at a major disadvantage and start on the back foot from a competitive perspective. However, they have some things in their favor to avoid such a scenario, starting with the aerodynamic testing allocation that all F1 teams have to abide by.
As per the sliding scale of the aero-testing allocation, Cadillac will be subject to wind tunnel testing and CFD restrictions. However, they will be an equal last team besides Sauber on this sliding scale, earning 115% of the baseline allocation of wind tunnel runs and CFD items.
This could be a significant advantage over the top teams in the pecking order who get only 70 to 80% of the baseline allocation, given they finish in the top half of the Constructors’ standings. Cadillac and Sauber will have the same amount of testing time until July 2025 when the allocation resets according to the standings.
That doesn’t change anything for Cadillac, but Sauber and other teams in the bottom half like Williams, Haas, Racing Bulls, and Alpine could see a change in their testing allocations depending on their position in the standings.
On top of that, Cadillac can also focus on their 2026 car right throughout the year, while all other teams will have to juggle the development of their 2025 challengers along with the preparation for the new regulations. This can tilt the scales in Cadillac’s favor, who don’t have experience in developing an F1 car.
Still, the American manufacturer won’t have a huge headstart as the 2026 regulations will clean the slate for all teams and it is a wide-open race as to who will come out on top.
Cadillac’s efforts to hit the ground running
Cadillac seems keen to work hard throughout this year to start their F1 project on a positive note. Besides hiring technical talent from the F1 paddock, they have also roped in former F1 driver Marcus Ericsson for the task of evaluating simulators for their team.
Ericsson, who raced for Sauber and Caterham, revealed this on Viaplay’s F1 podcast, “My employer, Andretti, has asked me to fly to England to test different simulators.”
“I will provide feedback so they can choose the right model for the whole organization, including Formula 1, IndyCar, and sports cars,” the 2022 Indy 500 winner added.
Ericsson started racing for Andretti in IndyCar in 2024 after having raced for Chip Ganassi Racing for four seasons. While he did not find the success he sought in F1, the Swedish driver has gained immense experience across the pond in IndyCar and IMSA to guide Cadillac’s F1 project.
