Bernie Collins warns Cadillac’s first F1 win in 2026 could be simply making the grid

Sky Sports strategy analyst Bernie Collins believes that the job for the Cadillac Formula 1 team cannot be underestimated.

The American outfit is set to join the grid in 2026 as the 11th team with experienced drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. And while the regulation changes next year will reset the order of the grid, Collins argued that the General Motors-backed team will likely struggle as she compared its entry to Haas's debut in the championship at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix. 

"Cadillac is going to be a struggle, I think, to get a new team together, to get all the people together, to get the car on the grid," she said during the Sky Sports F1 Show.

"Like we had it before in [2016]. Haas joined the grid, and I remember at that point, when I was with McLaren, walking into the track on the Friday morning as the Haas guys were walking out of the track to have a shower to go back to the track.

"That was how much pain they were in to get a new car on the grid for Australia. So, I think for the Cadillac guys, the job cannot be underestimated. If they get that car on the grid in Australia, that will be really good for them. That will be a victory in many ways."

Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

Photo by: Jacopo Rava

Discussing the changes to the status quo in general, Collins noted the perception that Mercedes-powered teams will likely rise to the top.

"I think the status quo will change among the teams because I think it'll be who gets the engine right and who gets the engine wrong. I think the perception is that Mercedes engine teams will rise to the top. But we don't know. We've not compared them against each other.

"But if nothing else, they've got three teams who they are supplying, so they're going to learn a lot faster than Honda, which is only supplying one team."