"There's so much to do," says Cadillac team boss, Graeme Lowdon, as the team prepares to hit the track just nine months after having its entry to F1 officially accepted.

With Michael Andretti out of the picture the American project quickly gathered pace and in March was officially confirmed as part of the 2026 grid.

Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas were subsequently confirmed as drivers, along with Colton Herta as test driver, and while the American manufacturer proceeds with its own engine, which is set to appear in 2029, in the meantime it will use power units provided by Ferrari. Indeed, the Italian team is also providing a 2023-spec car for testing purposes, Perez having been in action at Imola this week.

At the American team's various facilities, work continues at a frantic pace, for while the rest of us are avidly watching the outcome of the 2025 championship fight, Cadillac is fully focussed on its own countdown.

"We'll fire up the engine for the first time in less than 50 days, and the car will run for the first time in January next year," says Lowdon, according to F1i. "After that, we'll go testing at the end of January in Barcelona.

"Time is the enemy in a project like this," he admits, "because we know we'll be racing in Melbourne the first week of March 2026, and that deadline can't be extended.

"There's so much to do," he continues. "Our entry was only confirmed in March, so the margin is very tight. In that time, we must not only build the car but also manufacture it, design it, hire personnel, build the factories... everything. It's a real challenge."