Cadillac Racing has lowered front‑brake temperatures by about 100 °C, a decisive improvement that immediately curtailed the clutch‑overheating retirements taking the MAC‑26 out of Hungary, Monaco and Austria.
Brake cooling breakthrough
During the 2026 season, over‑heating front brakes forced Valtteri Bottas to retire in Hungary, Monaco and Austria, while Sergio Perez ran into the same issue at the Red Bull Ring. After a minor tweak to the inlet scoop at the Hungaroring, the team installed new cooling‑inlet and exit‑duct profiles at the Azerbaijan GP, delivering the 100‑degree temperature drop Bottas highlighted to Motorsport.com.
“Good, we’ve reduced about 100 degrees… that gives us more margin,” Bottas said, emphasizing how the lower heat now gives the team a valuable buffer for the next circuit. The higher‑temperature Sepang track is expected to serve as a stern test of the new cooling system.
Factory‑level engineering refresh
Cadillac’s latest recruitment delved deep into the mechanical heart of the car. Former Red Bull chief designer Craig Skinner has taken the role of chief development engineer. He was praised by Pérez for the swift improvements made to the floor’s entry stability, though the design was never tested in race conditions after a crash at Baku.
Adding to the technical camp, ex‑Aston Martin deputy tech chief Eric Blandin now heads aerodynamics, while aerodynamicist Tim Lean, whose résumé cites McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari, leads simulation modelling. “They are the kind of people who will push our team forward,” Pérez added, noting the significance of these appointments for a debut season.
Pérez on rival upgrades and his own needs
During a post‑race interview, Pérez described Ferrari’s ADUO 2 power‑unit update as “just a tenth and a half” worth of improvement. “Not quite the step we needed, but everything counts,” he said, aligning the Ferrari upgrade to Cadillac’s ongoing quest for performance gains.
He also acknowledged that the current car remains “basic” for a first‑year-firm, hinting that the team will continue to evolve while acknowledging that this season merely opens the door to future strides.
Sepang: a crucible for the revised design
Pérez expressed uncertainty about the Bahrain GP, which also hosts the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, calling it a “reality check” for the team. The sweeping corners demand high brake‑cooling capacity—a spotlight on Cadillac’s new temperature reduction strategy.
With the brake cooling upgrades in place, the next race will decide whether the new system can survive Sepang’s demanding high‑G turns, setting the tone for Cadillac’s ambition to transition from a struggling rookie to a credible midfield contender.
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