Cadillac F1 Loses Mirrors on Both Cars During Chaotic Australian GP Debut

Cadillac F1’s historic Formula 1 debut was overshadowed on Friday after both cars lost mirror bodywork during the first practice session at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix with Sergio Perez going on to complete zero laps in FP2 following a hydraulic leak.

Both Bottas and Perez shed minor bodywork from their mirrors during FP1 at Albert Park, with vibrations from the new 2026-spec machinery believed to be the cause. The failures drew immediate attention in the paddock on what was already a landmark day for the American outfit the first time a Cadillac car had ever taken to a Formula 1 circuit in a competitive session.

Lowdon Confident Ahead of Qualifying

Speaking after practice, Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon struck a calm tone, saying the team was satisfied with their overall debut performance and had no concerns about fixing the issue in time.

“Issues like these with the mirrors can easily be ironed out before tomorrow’s qualification,” Lowdon said.

The former Marussia team principal acknowledged the day had not gone entirely to plan but insisted the bigger picture remained positive for a brand new constructor competing in their very first Formula 1 weekend.

Perez Suffers Worst of the Damage

While Bottas delivered a relatively steady FP1 finishing 17th, roughly 3.75 seconds off pace-setter Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari Perez endured a difficult Friday on both fronts.

The Mexican was already dealing with a spin at Turn 5 in FP1, which he attributed to excessive engine braking, when a fuel system fault halted his running and forced engineers to remove the car’s battery to complete repairs. In FP2, he rejoined late only to stop on track with a hydraulic leak, leaving him with no representative running across the afternoon session.

Perez, a six-time Grand Prix winner making his return to the grid after parting ways with Red Bull at the end of 2024, had already been flagged by analysts as carrying greater concerns heading into the season opener than team-mate Bottas and Friday’s events did little to dispel that narrative.

Bottas Provides Solid Baseline

By contrast, Bottas gave Cadillac something to build on. The Finnish veteran, who spent the 2025 season as a Mercedes reserve driver before joining the new American project, put together consistent running throughout FP1 and finished comfortably within the 107% time required to qualify for the race.

At 3.755 seconds off the lead, Cadillac sat behind the midfield pack but ahead of both Aston Martin cars, who endured an even more troubled Friday. The team’s data haul from Bottas’s running will be critical overnight as engineers assess the car’s behavior across the new 2026 regulations.

What to Expect in Qualifying

With qualifying set for Saturday afternoon, Cadillac’s primary targets are straightforward: fix the mirror issue, restore Perez’s car to full working order, and put two clean laps together. The team is expected to exit in Q1 now featuring 22 cars under the expanded grid but simply posting clean, representative times will mark a significant milestone for a constructor that only a short time ago was fighting just to earn a place on the grid.

It is worth noting that even Leclerc’s FP1-topping time was more than three seconds slower than the equivalent session a year ago, underlining the universal complexity teams face adapting to F1’s 2026 rule overhaul.

FP1 Selected Results — 2026 Australian Grand Prix