Cadillac’s F1 Brakes Remain a Major Issue: ‘I had to lift and coast on lap two’

Brake Management Returns to Hinder Cadillac in Marina Bay

Valtteri Bottas was again hindered by Cadillac’s well-documented brake issues in Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix, although the veteran has described the problem as “almost solved”. Brake overheating has been an issue throughout the season on the MAC-26, causing four retirements on top of the occasional loss of performance due to the required management.

F1’s new team brought upgrades to Hungary and Azerbaijan in order to fix the problem, with the latter decreasing brake temperature by 100C as per Bottas. However, it wasn’t enough for a trouble-free race in Singapore, where management again played a key role. The Finnish driver found himself having to alter his driving style almost immediately after the start of the race to keep temperatures under control.

I had to start increasing lift-and-coast on lap two, Bottas revealed. Eventually things stabilized and I didn’t need to do any lift-and-coast for a while, then it came back.

However, when asked if this race had been a test for the brake upgrades, the Cadillac driver nuanced his stance: We finished with both cars. It required management, but I would imagine most teams will need to do some kind of management here.

I think the problem is almost solved. We should be good for the rest of the year, and obviously next year’s design should be quite a bit different.

Severe Pace Deficit Stuns Bottas Across the Singapore GP

The lift-and-coast doesn’t justify Bottas’ dismal pace at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, with the Finn very nearly lapped by team-mate Sergio Perez – his deficit was 96 seconds under the chequered flag, equating to a 1.6s loss per lap on average.

Bottas was at a loss to explain it. No pace at all in the first stint, like, talking about a second a lap, he lamented. Pretty much the same story all through the race.

I was getting all the feedback from the team, like where I could potentially try and gain lap time. I was trying everything I could. If I’m lacking pace on the entry or mid-corner then I can do that, but then I lose in the exit or some other phase of the corner.

So, yeah, a bit of an odd one. The only thing I can say is the ride was really poor today, like a step change from something. So, we’ll have a look.

And Bottas is not feeling much more optimistic for next week’s United States Grand Prix. We know it’s going to be another difficult one, but hopefully better than here, he said. It somehow feels like we underperformed here a bit, like, we were way off the pace in the race.

Perez Highlights Operational Execution Despite Continuing Car Deficit

Sergio Perez might actually disagree with that statement, even after finishing 48 seconds adrift of Fernando Alonso in Singapore.

We were very strong with the pace that we had today, the Mexican said. We were very solid out there. Operationally, it’s the only thing that matters at the moment, and the team has done a really good job. We can be pleased with that.

We are just lacking a second, a second and a half, to be in the mix. We had for the entire first stint the Astons behind. We are just lacking that second in the car, and then we can start to mix with the others.

Why This Matters

Cadillac has another six grands prix to potentially score its first top-10 finish, and therefore not end its maiden F1 season point-less. As the grid prepares to head to the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix, reliability and thermal management will remain paramount for the American outfit. While aerodynamic and cooling revisions introduced in recent rounds have helped prevent catastrophic failures, the underlying requirement to save components severely limits their ability to bridge the pure lap-time gap to the midfield battle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What brake issues has Cadillac faced this season?

Cadillac has struggled with brake overheating all season on the MAC-26, leading to four retirements and ongoing race-pace sacrifices due to necessary lift-and-coast management.

Did Cadillac’s recent upgrades resolve the brake overheating?

While the Azerbaijan upgrade dropped brake temperatures by 100°C according to Valtteri Bottas, drivers still had to actively manage brakes in Singapore, although Bottas believes the team is now close to completely solving the issue.

How large was the pace difference between Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez in Singapore?

Bottas finished 96 seconds behind his team-mate Perez at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix, translating to an average deficit of approximately 1.6 seconds per lap.