Cadillac expects a tougher scenario in Monza, after a positive start in the second half of its debut season in Formula 1. The team will also have Colton Herta in FP1, replacing Sergio Perez.
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Team principal Marcin Budkowski highlighted that the Italian circuit may expose limitations of the current car, mainly due to the importance of top speed: “Monza will probably be a tougher test. It will be our first race at this track, and the circuit’s emphasis on top speed does not favor our current strengths,” he said.
Budkowski explained that the priority will be to make the most of the available package and turn every lap into learning: “Our priority is to maximize our package, learn from every lap, and use that understanding to accelerate our development,” he said, adding that he expects to receive input from Herta during FP1.
The American will make his third free practice session of the season with Cadillac, after replacing Perez in Barcelona and Valtteri Bottas in Hungary. Herta will also balance his F1 activity with his Formula 2 program, and already has experience at Monza, where he scored points when racing in Euroformula.
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For Herta, the track will require a different approach than previous ones: “With the car set up for low drag, it will move more, giving greater importance to precision at braking points and passing over the curbs in the chicanes,” he explained.
Perez highlighted his positive history at Monza and said he is motivated to return to the track after the Dutch round. Bottas, in turn, recalled the retirement in Zandvoort ten laps from the end, but emphasized the lessons learned by the team: “Racing at Monza is a different experience, with huge speeds and heavy braking,” concluded the Finnish driver.
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