Valtteri Bottas has revealed that a frustrating drive-through penalty during the Miami Grand Prix was rooted in a surprisingly simple problem: he did not press the pit-limiter button hard enough.
The incident offered an awkward but revealing glimpse into the behind-the-scenes challenges facing Cadillac as Formula 1’s newest team continues to navigate the steep learning curve of its debut campaign.
While the American outfit left Miami encouraged by the progress made with its first major in-season upgrade package, the weekend also exposed the operational and technical inconsistencies that inevitably come with building a Formula 1 team from scratch.
Pitlane error highlights Cadillac’s early struggles
Cadillac arrived at its home race armed with an ambitious update package designed to close the gap to Formula 1’s tightly packed midfield.
The changes – focused primarily on a revised front wing and a reshaped floor – appeared to deliver genuine gains, allowing the team to compete more closely with Aston Martin on outright pace across the weekend.
But Bottas’ race unravelled after he was handed a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pitlane, ultimately dropping him to 18th and last among the classified finishers.
The Finn later explained that the problem originated from an ongoing issue with the steering wheel controls, with Cadillac still waiting for improved components from its supplier.
“I pressed the pit limiter button, but apparently not hard enough,” he reported. “We're still lacking a bit of feedback on some of the buttons, so another error we're still working on.
“It's been a known issue, we just haven't got the new buttons yet. Hopefully in the next race. But yeah, it's one of the things that happens when you start as a new team.”
The mishap underlined the reality facing Cadillac as it develops not only its car, but also the countless systems, procedures and quality-control standards required to operate at motorsport’s top level.
Encouraging upgrades – but inconsistencies remain
Despite the setback, Bottas insisted the Miami upgrades represented a clear step forward for the team competitively.
“I think the upgrades worked,” he said.
However, he admitted Cadillac is still struggling with consistency in the manufacturing and preparation of certain components – an issue that can have significant consequences in a sport where microscopic details often separate success from failure.
“I think we're still struggling a bit with the quality of certain parts,” the Finn said. “Not every part is the same that we put in the car, so there's a bit of a lack of consistency in there, but overall, it's getting better.”
Cadillac team boss Graeme Lowdon with team ambassador Mario Andretti.
Those comments were echoed by team principal Graeme Lowdon, who acknowledged that Cadillac’s growing pains are a natural consequence of assembling a brand-new Formula 1 operation under intense time pressure.
“Everything is so new that it is very, very difficult to get all of the processes up to the level that we want them to,” Lowdon said.
“We're not there yet, but we will get there. I want to thank the drivers because they've got that maturity to understand that the way we've delivered certain things on the car will constantly improve.”
Read also: Bottas reveals unprecedented role in shaping Cadillac F1 carLowdon also praised the experience of Bottas and team-mate Sergio Perez for helping guide the project through its difficult opening phase without adding unnecessary pressure internally.
“And they've got that maturity and experience to know that they can really benefit from encouraging everybody in the team to go at the right pace. If you push too hard, it's negative, and both Valtteri and Checo push at exactly the right level,” he added.
For Cadillac, Miami ultimately delivered both promise and perspective.
The performance gains suggest the project is beginning to move in the right direction – but Bottas’ costly pitlane mistake served as another reminder that Formula 1’s smallest imperfections can quickly become very public problems.
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