Valtteri Bottas has revealed that Cadillac has successfully reduced its front brake temperature by 100 degrees Celsius, a significant fix for one of the fledgling Formula 1 team's Achilles' heels. The brake overheating issue had been a major problem for Cadillac, forcing Bottas to retire in Hungary, Monaco, and Austria, and also taking Sergio Perez out of the Red Bull Ring race.
“Good, we've reduced about 100 degrees of brake temperature, based on numbers from the previous spec, so that gives us more margin, for sure,” Bottas told Motorsport.com. The statement confirms that the solution introduced at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix—after updates at the Hungaroring did little to alleviate the problem—is starting to show real impact.
Initially, Cadillac tried to fix the issue by updating its inlet scoop and aperture surfaces at the Hungaroring, but that effort didn't help much. It was only when they introduced upgraded cooling inlet and exit duct profiles in Azerbaijan that the temperature graph began to drop significantly. The hot and demanding Sepang circuit now serves as a real test for the American team.
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez highlighted Ferrari's ADUO 2 power unit upgrade as being worth “just a tenth and a half”. “Not quite the step we needed, but everything counts,” he added. Nevertheless, Perez remains optimistic about the team's future, especially after Cadillac announced three key engineering signings: former Red Bull chief designer Craig Skinner, former Aston Martin deputy tech chief Eric Blandin, and aerodynamicist Tim Lean, who has worked at McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari.
Skinner is now Cadillac's chief development engineer, Blandin has become its head of aerodynamics, and Lean has joined as chief engineer for aerodynamics modelling and simulation. “The team is showing how serious they are and how committed they are into Formula 1,” Perez commented. “They are great hires, they are people that are really going to push our team forward. Don't forget that it's just our first season, so this car is very basic, so I have a big hope on next year that we will definitely be moving forward.”
Perez also recalled his experience working with Skinner at Red Bull. “With Craig I've worked and he was really good in the Red Bull organisation, he was very important there. Actually he made a very big difference with my floor; I remember coming into Baku when we were struggling with the entry stability, he figured out a packer into the floor, and it transformed my balance and my car. Unfortunately the floor was destroyed after the race with the crash of Carlos [Sainz], and I never got to race it again, but it was a really good step, so he's someone that is really good and understands what are my needs.”
Despite the brake fix being a breath of fresh air, Perez expects Cadillac to struggle at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, given the sweeping corners of the Sepang circuit. “I'm not lookingg” he said (truncated). Challenges remain, but at least one major issue has been resolved.
Read Also
Blue Mountain Racing akuisisi 600 hektar di Swartland, bangun sirkuit F1 Grade 1. Diskusi dengan F1 dan MotoGP, target balapan 2031.
Mercedes hadirkan livery spesial Petronas di F1 Malaysia, plus upgrade pertama sejak Kanada. Simak analisis dan peluang mereka di Sepang.
Setelah sukses menggelar Grand Prix Azerbaijan ke-10, Baku langsung bersiap untuk Baku International Arts Festival 2025. Simak kesiapan kota dan dampaknya bagi penggemar F1.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!