- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 424,807
- Reaction score
- 43
You must be registered for see images attach
Motorsport photo
'Failure is not an option' is the tagline of 1985 film Apollo 13, as NASA flight director Gene Kranz, portrayed by Ed Harris, attempts to save three astronauts in peril aboard the Space Shuttle.
That mantra also permeates the nascent Cadillac Formula 1 team's offices as the US-owned team enters a crucial phase of its grand prix trajectory.
Around its many worldwide outposts, including a European base in Silverstone, a facility in Charlotte and parent company Andretti Global's brand-new headquarters in Indianapolis, countdown clocks are ticking down to the team's major launch deadlines; the first fire-up of its maiden F1 car, the planned end-of-January shakedown in Barcelona, and the season opener in Australia.
For team principal Graeme Lowdon, it's not a question of whether his team will be ready for its grand debut as F1's first expansion team since 2016. "That's not negotiable. We've got to," Lowdon told Motorsport.com.
Cadillac F1
You must be registered for see images attach
Cadillac F1FIA
FIA
Alongside its European hub in Silverstone, Cadillac will also be based at Andretti Global's brand-new US headquarters in Indiana as well as a General Motors facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. It will also continue using Toyota's wind tunnel in Cologne.
"We're building factories in the UK and huge new flagship headquarters in Indianapolis. I'm really excited for people to see what that's going to be like, because I think it's a game changer for Formula 1 fans in the US," Lowdon said.
"It's always a challenge to manage over multiple sites, but we see it as an opportunity. We've got a head office in Indianapolis. It's the home of IndyCar. We've got the new power unit business down in Charlotte where we also have a lot of vehicle dynamics stuff and driver-in-the-loop simulators. That's the home of NASCAR.
"Then we've got the operations at Silverstone, which is the home of Formula 1. In terms of motorsport energy, nobody's in any doubt what the main focus is when you're in any of those cities."
Valtteri Bottasm Mercedes talks with Graeme Lowdon
You must be registered for see images attach
Valtteri Bottasm Mercedes talks with Graeme LowdonSteven Tee / Motorsport Images
Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
One of the next crucial decisions for Cadillac is picking its drivers. Speaking to Motorsport.com earlier this year, the team's advisor Mario Andretti said the intention was still to have an American driver in one of its cars, with Andretti confirming the team's IndyCar ace Colton Herta is still a prime candidate pending an FIA superlicence.
Herta has since distanced himself from the constant F1 noise that has surrounded him since Andretti's effort first broke ground, although he remains in the frame. Other free agents on the market include Mercedes reserve Valtteri Bottas and former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, who both have over a decade of F1 experience that would be valuable to a new team.
Lowdon remained coy when asked if the team is still set on signing an American driver from the start, hinting that it may not necessarily happen from year one. "We'll select drivers on merit. Having a driver on merit doesn't mean you can't have an American passport as well. We've got a lot to choose from," he said.
"But also, you can't just judge an F1 team on what they're doing this year or next year. The team's here to stay. I think the fans would love to see an American driver in an American team. There's nothing stopping that from happening, but we've just got to go ahead and select on merit and build a team, because there are a few very experienced drivers available.
"We weren't able to participate in the last round of driver negotiations, so we're out of sync with a lot of other teams. But there's some advantages to that as well. There's a lot of very good drivers available at the minute.
"As and when we put the driver lineup together, whatever it is, it'll be a strong one."
Continue reading...
