Formula 1 newcomer Cadillac is currently making headlines mainly for its mechanical failures: In Hungary, the suspension and brakes couldn’t withstand the strain
48 laps for Sergio Perez, 13 laps for Valtteri Bottas: That is the sobering tally for Formula 1 newcomer Cadillac at the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring. Both drivers were forced to retire early from the race due to mechanical failures—yet again. Cadillac’s string of breakdowns has thus worsened once more ahead of the summer break.
For Perez, the situation is now “more than concerning,” as he explained on Sunday evening: “We’re a new team, and to a certain extent, you expect these kinds of problems. Still, it’s naturally frustrating that it’s happened so often by now.”
He doesn’t yet know exactly what caused his retirement. “The suspension just broke in Turn 5,” said Perez.
Here’s what happened: His left front wheel suddenly began to “flutter,” causing Perez to lose his line and go off the track. Although he managed to steer his Cadillac MAC-26 back onto the track through the run-off area and then into the pit lane, continuing the race was out of the question given the damage.
This is also a concern for Perez’s teammate Bottas. He said: “This is already the second time our second car has retired due to suspension damage. So it’s perfectly clear what area we need to work on and what problems we need to solve so that we can finally finish races.”
Cadillac’s new brake duct cannot prevent the failure
Bottas himself had been stopped early on by a brake fire. Until his retirement, he had had to conserve fuel and go easy on the brakes—“which meant lifting off the throttle earlier and letting the car coast,” Bottas explained. It didn’t help: “At times, we thought we had the situation under control again, but suddenly practically everything was in flames.”
And this despite the fact that Cadillac had taken special measures to prevent exactly that: a new brake duct was designed to provide better ventilation for the front brakes than before. “But obviously, we still need more airflow. That became clear in Hungary,” said Bottas.
He is understanding, however, given the temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius: “The conditions were extreme—with an exceptionally demanding track and very high stress on the car. The brakes simply get too hot. At some point, everything inside starts to burn, and that practically destroys the entire system.”
What Sergio Perez Now Expects from Cadillac
Bottas therefore had no choice but to pull the car over to the side of the track so that marshals could assist with fire extinguishers. “I had absolutely no braking power left,” said Bottas. “I suspect the brake lines were on fire. That’s why I had to drive the car into the wall to slow it down.”
Perez, on the other hand, now expects his Cadillac team to go full throttle in investigating the cause: “I’m sure we’ll use the summer break to eliminate all these weaknesses and improve in every area and department. That will be crucial to how well we develop in the second half of the season.”
Currently, Cadillac is the only Formula 1 team still without any championship points. Following Aston Martin’s extensive technical update, the U.S. team is now also considered the new bring-up-the-rear: In qualifying in Hungary, Cadillac trailed the fastest time by 2.6 seconds.