Cadillac intends to investigate whether it is managing to extract the full potential of the Ferrari power unit in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The new team principal, Marcin Budkowski, considers energy management a factor capable of making a significant difference in performance.
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Budkowski took command of Cadillac last week, replacing Graeme Lowdon. The team began its journey in the category in 2026 as a Ferrari customer, while planning to use a General Motors (GM – Cadillac’s owner) power unit starting in 2028.
The new director highlighted that the experience from the start of the season showed how knowledge about the new power units can directly influence performance. He cited the case involving Mercedes and McLaren to explain why Cadillac needs to evaluate its own utilization of the equipment supplied by Ferrari.
“We saw this year, probably not specifically with Ferrari, but more with a Mercedes engine, that there is a lot of performance to be unlocked also in understanding the complexities of energy management, and that is a performance differentiator,” Budkowski said.
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The director emphasized that Cadillac receives from Ferrari the same hardware and the same engine as stipulated by the rules, but understands that this does not necessarily mean the team is using the package to its limit: “The engine is competitive. It will become even more competitive with the ADUO updates, but are we really using its full potential?” he questioned.
Budkowski also acknowledged that there is a difference between receiving competitive equipment and knowing how to fully exploit it. According to him, suppliers may not share all the methods to extract the maximum from their power units, something he considers a natural part of the competition: “There is a part that consists of providing the best possible engine, and another in using it in the best way. That is something I will certainly analyze when I arrive,” he added.
Cadillac is still seeking its first point in Formula 1 after eleven rounds held in the current season, while the team’s best result so far was 13th place by Valtteri Bottas at the Chinese GP.
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