Ferrari power unit gathers key data as Cadillac delivers positive feedback: Valtteri Bottas speaks out
The Formula 1 pre-season tests in Bahrain represent a goldmine for manufacturers such as Ferrari, who are able to collect valuable feedback not only from their own cars but also from customer teams like Cadillac. The American outfit has expressed satisfaction with the work completed during the opening day of running. Confirming this was Valtteri Bottas, who made it clear that he does not intend to play a minor role in the upcoming World Championship: “We are not here just to fix problems, we want to race.”
The first day of testing proved productive for Ferrari and its customer teams. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed a combined total of 127 laps with the SF-26, gathering important data on performance and reliability. Haas also enjoyed a solid session, relying on Esteban Ocon and completing as many as 112 laps. However, the focus now shifts to Cadillac: the American team, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez sharing driving duties, managed to complete 104 laps.
“It’s positive to be here, we are getting the car running,” the Finnish driver told the official Formula 1 channel. “This is really the first step. We are completing decent runs, we are learning with every outing, and that is important. We still have many days ahead of us before Melbourne and there is still a lot of work to do. It’s nice to see that we are genuinely making progress every day when we are on track with the car.”
Cadillac aiming for a leading role
“It was crucial to be at the Barcelona shakedown and to be here running the car,” Valtteri Bottas continued. “If we had lost even just one day, we would definitely have been in trouble in Melbourne. So I think the team has done an incredible job so far to be ready in time. But step by step, instead of solving problems and doing debugging, the focus will shift towards performance.”
“That’s where we need to keep improving over the coming weeks, months and years. We have to be ready to go racing. We are not here just to do debugging and fix issues. We are here to compete, so we will try to focus on performance and to get to know the car, which is a completely new creature for everyone in the team.”
The early feedback from Cadillac suggests that the Ferrari-powered newcomer is ahead of the curve in terms of reliability. By focusing on performance rather than just survival, Valtteri Bottas and the team are signaling their intent to be a serious midfield contender in the 2026 season. The synergy between the factory team and its customers remains a key strength for Ferrari as they navigate these complex new regulations.
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