With the fire-up of its inaugural Formula 1 car less than two months away, the American-owned Cadillac Grand Prix team is operating in a realm of pure potential, meticulously building its 2026 campaign not in a wind tunnel but inside the virtual world.
While the physical hardware of its first challenger remains under wraps, the squad has left no stone unturned in its simulation efforts, recently announcing a full complement of simulator drivers to hone both the car and the crew.
Cadillac Team Boss Graeme Lowdon Addresses The Concern Regarding Start-up Squad
The team, led by former Manor chief Graeme Lowdon, has enlisted 2016 IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud, Corvette works driver Charlie Eastwood, and two-time F1 starter Pietro Fittipaldi to share duties in General Motors’ advanced simulators located in Charlotte.
“Cadillac team boss Graeme Lowdon has addressed concerns over his start-up squad looking to loan a Formula 1 car as part of its 2026 preparation,” posted from the official Twitter account of Motorsport.
Cadillac team boss Graeme Lowdon has addressed concerns over his start-up squad looking to loan a Formula 1 car as part of its 2026 preparation ⬇️https://t.co/MQRcpC1Rc3
— Motorsport (@Motorsport) October 11, 2025
This trio has been instrumental in conducting full race weekend simulations for most grands prix since the Barcelona round in June. They operate from mission control rooms at the team’s bases in Silverstone and Charlotte.
Meanwhile, the team’s future on the tarmac is also taking shape, with development driver Colton Herta and 2026 race driver Sergio Perez already embedded within the program. However, Valtteri Bottas’s involvement awaits the conclusion of his current Mercedes contract.
This glaring need has sparked speculation, which Team Principal Lowdon directly addressed on the eve of the Singapore Grand Prix. He confirmed the squad is actively seeking to conclude a deal with its 2026 power unit supplier, Ferrari, to obtain a previous car. The objective, however, is not what many might assume.
“We’ve been looking at the testing a team can do under the TPC rules [testing of a previous car],” Lowdon stated, immediately clarifying the team’s unique position. “We don’t have a previous car, but also the title is a slightly misnomer, because we don’t actually need to test a car, so it doesn’t really matter.”
Lowdon elaborated that the team’s intense simulations aim to be as real-to-life as possible, and a physical car is the final, crucial piece for training his trackside personnel. He moved to dispel any notions of a technical advantage, emphasizing that the goal is to give his mechanics the repetitive, hands-on experience that every other team on the grid already possesses.
“I think everyone gets a little bit wrongly concerned, that in some way we can get an advantage by testing someone else’s car or something,” he said. “But we’re not testing the car, we’re testing the people.”
Detailing the specific needs, Lowdon explained the unique challenges of an F1 car that cannot be fully replicated with an LMDh endurance racer, which remains a fallback option. “You have to get the mechanics used to that muscle memory of operating an F1 car,” he noted.
“You have to be able to stick tyre blankets on, and then there’s just the size of a car and the heat that comes off one, and the presence that they have.”
Participating in complete transparency, Lowdon assured that the FIA is involved in every step of the process. “If we borrow a car off somebody, then that team needs to get the FIA to approve that we could use their car,” he said. “And we involve the FIA in everything we’re doing step-by-step, because we’ve got nothing to hide.”