New Cadillac Team Principal Marcin Budkowski has put unlocking Ferrari’s Formula 1 power unit “tricks” at the top of his to-do list.
The General-Motors-backed outfit has had a difficult first half to its maiden season in the sport.
11 rounds in, the duo of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are yet to score a World Championship point.
What’s more, Aston Martin’s Hungarian GP upgrades had finally left Cadillac as the slowest package on the grid, heading into the summer break.
The team has decided to replace Graeme Lowdon with former Alpine and FIA man Budkowski, and the Pole has made some notes on how the communication between customers and engine suppliers has been the key to success so far this season.
Budkowski cited McLaren, who at the start of the season was quite vocal about how it did not have all the information from Mercedes about the 2026 PUs, but won the Hungarian GP, as his motivator.
“Obviously we’re a customer of Ferrari. As per the regulations, we’re getting the same hardware and the same engine,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“But we’ve seen this year, probably not with Ferrari specifically, but more with a Mercedes engine, that there’s a lot of performance to be unlocked as well in understanding the intricacies of the energy management mostly, and that’s a performance differentiator.
“I think that’s something we need to look at in the team as well. Are we making the most of the hardware we are getting.”
Cadillac want to learn Ferrari’s F1 PU “tricks of the trade”
In the long term, Cadillac sees itself emerging as a leading works outfit in the paddock.
That said, for the time being, at least until 2028, the Silverstone-based squad will compete as a Ferrari customer outfit.
Budkowski insisted that the team are utilising Ferrari’s 2026 engine to its “full potential”; however, he did concede that he would like to get a better look at how the works team deploys it on track.
“The engine is competitive. It will get even more competitive with the ADUO upgrades, but are we actually using it at its full potential,” he added.
“So obviously, the relationship is important, but there’s always going to be an element of the supplier will not necessarily share all the tricks of the trade for how to extract the maximum performance.
“That’s a fair game, and that’s on the team’s side. It’s no blame there for Ferrari or for anyone on the grid.
“There’s a part of it which is providing the best possible engine, and part of it is using it as the best. This is something which certainly I will be looking at as well when I arrive.”
Budkowski will take the reins of Cadillac for the first time at the Dutch GP next weekend.
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