Cadillac Gears Up for 2026 F1 Debut with Ferrari SF-23 Test

As of November 13th, 2025, Cadillac's journey to join the Formula 1 grid in 2026 has reached a significant milestone. The team has recently conducted its first in-person track outing, with regular driver Sergio Perez taking the wheel of a Ferrari SF-23 at the Imola circuit.

Cadillac, which will become the 11th team in F1 next year, has been engaged in extensive simulation work with its development drivers for some time. However, the team has now been able to incorporate Perez into its testing workflow, marking an important step forward.

To facilitate this real-world testing, Cadillac has struck a deal with its power unit supplier, Ferrari, to borrow a two-year-old SF-23 car. This arrangement satisfies F1's regulations for the Testing of a Previous Car, allowing the Cadillac team to gain valuable hands-on experience.

Over the course of the two-day test, around 20 Cadillac members worked alongside 30 Ferrari team members to prepare and operate the car. The objective of this exercise is to give the Cadillac squad a chance to start working together in a trackside environment and to provide the mechanics with practical experience in handling a current-spec F1 car.

As Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon explained, the team is not focused on testing the car itself, but rather on testing its own people and processes. The goal is to ensure that the Cadillac mechanics develop the necessary "muscle memory" and familiarity with the demands of operating an F1 car, which will be crucial for their successful debut in 2026.