Cadillac braced for 'significant pressure' of F1 triple-header

Cadillac's maiden F1 season hits its toughest stretch this weekend, with the team facing the first of three consecutive races in Baku, Malaysia and Singapore. Team principal Marcin Budkowski says the triple-header will put 'significant pressure' on every part of the operation.

Why it matters:

For a new team still building its infrastructure, the compressed calendar is a critical stress test. Cadillac must keep developing its current car while proving its trackside and factory operations can handle a full F1 season.

The details:

• Cadillac brings small aero upgrades to Baku; Sergio Perez gets Ferrari's latest-spec power unit.
• Budkowski cited pressure on the trackside crew, manufacturing, and factory staff working unsociable hours.
• Perez has two Baku wins (2021, 2023) and podiums in 2016, 2018, 2022. He retired in Madrid but said it was the team's strongest pace of the season.
• Bottas won from pole in 2019 and was runner-up in 2017; his 378 km/h practice speed in 2016 remains a record.
• Baku has F1's longest straight, but Bottas warns the rest is technical, with low grip and walls close.

What's next:

Friday practice will give Cadillac its first read on the upgrades and the new engine. This year's Baku race runs on Saturday, adding an extra twist. The bigger test, though, is whether the team's expanding operation can keep pace through Malaysia and Singapore.