Former strategist Bernadette Collins warns Cadillac against entering F1 – a comparison with Haas’ debut shows how tough the task will be
Cadillac’s entry into Formula 1 will not be a sure-fire success. At least that’s the opinion of Bernadette Collins, strategy analyst at Sky Sports. The American team will enter the premier class in 2026 as the eleventh racing team, relying on the combined experience of two veterans, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.
But despite the new regulations, which could reshuffle the deck on the starting grid, Collins expects difficult times ahead for the General Motors-backed project. She compares the situation to the Haas team’s debut at the 2016 season opener in Australia.
“It’s going to be a struggle for Cadillac to put a new team together, get everyone on board, and get the car on the grid,” Collins explains on the i.
Haas as a blueprint?
The former Aston Martin strategist recalls her own time in the paddock when Gene Haas brought his team into Formula 1: “We’ve already seen that [in 2016]. When Haas joined, I remember it vividly: I was at McLaren at the time and arrived at the track on Friday morning just as the Haas guys were leaving the paddock to go and shower and then come back.”
This anecdote illustrates the tremendous effort behind such a debut. “They had to suffer so much to get a new car ready for Australia,” Collins continues. “That’s why the task facing the Cadillac people should not be underestimated.”
Her prediction for the first race is therefore sober: “If they get the car on the grid in Australia, that would be really good for them. In many ways, that would already be a victory.”
2026 rules: The cards are being reshuffled
Aside from Cadillac, Collins is eagerly awaiting the general shifts in the balance of power brought about by the new 2026 regulations. She believes that teams relying on Mercedes power will have a particular advantage.
“I think the status quo will change because it will come down to who gets the engine right and who doesn’t,” she analyzes. “The perception is that the Mercedes teams will come out on top. But we don’t know for sure. We haven’t seen them in a direct comparison yet.”
However, she sees a decisive strategic advantage in the mass of data that Mercedes will have at its disposal: “But at least they supply three customer teams. So they will learn much faster than Honda, which only equips one team.”
