Cadillac targets breakthrough with Spa upgrade in hunt for first points

Cadillac arrives at its first Belgian Grand Prix still hunting for an elusive first point, but the American team is optimistic that a revised front wing and momentum from Silverstone will edge it closer to the midfield. After brake fires ended both cars' races in Austria, finishing both races at Silverstone offered a reset for a team that has logged six retirements in nine rounds.

Why it matters:

As the seventh all-new constructor since 2000, Cadillac is still searching for the consistency to score. Team principal Graeme Lowdon cited the British Grand Prix as a breakthrough, with both drivers pulling clear of the back row to race wheel-to-wheel with rivals—a vital step for a squad still finding its feet.

The details:

• Spa upgrade: Cadillac is banking on a revised front wing to improve aerodynamic efficiency and close the gap to Aston Martin, its nearest rival. Perez had briefly held 10th in Monaco before a post-race penalty stripped the position and handed the point to the British manufacturer.
• Stuck in between: Bottas admitted Cadillac remains in "no man's land" between the backmarkers and midfield, though he noted the team occasionally ran closer to Haas and Williams. Perez added that Spa's unique layout—particularly the negative-g forces through Eau Rouge—will test ride and energy management.
• Debut context: Only Toyota and Haas have scored in their first nine races among new entries since 2000. Cadillac's six DNFs equal Lotus's 2010 tally, fewer than most debutants, yet reliability remains the barrier to capitalizing on its best result of 13th in China.

What's next:

The coming months will shape Cadillac's long-term trajectory. Perez described the next two to three months as a "critical period" for deciding the architecture of the 2027 car and finalizing internal structure. Strong data from Spa could prove just as valuable for next season's foundation as for finally breaking the team's points duck.