Cadillac faced significant setbacks during Friday practice at the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix after introducing its largest upgrade package of the season. Both drivers encountered problems that limited track time at the Red Bull Ring.
Sergio Perez triggered a red flag in the first session and a virtual safety car in FP2 due to an electrical issue on his car. Team technical director Nick Chester said mechanics replaced the electronic control unit and continued working on components ahead of FP3.
Valtteri Bottas completed an initial evaluation of the new parts in FP1 but suffered a small fire at the leading edge of the floor early in the second session. Chester attributed the fire to a build issue that lowered the car too far.
The team brought a 10-part upgrade focused on bodywork, floor, diffuser and rear wing to address tire degradation. Chester noted that the extensive aerodynamic work prevented the introduction of a Ferrari power unit upgrade this weekend, with a possible debut at Silverstone or Spa.
Despite the limited running, Chester observed early signs of progress from Bottas's FP1 laps and said the team would assess further in qualifying.
