Cadillac heads into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix facing fresh scrutiny after former Formula 1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer questioned its split operation in the United States and United Kingdom.
The warning comes with Cadillac still searching for its first point of the 2026 season. Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez remain on zero after the opening 14 Grands Prix, putting the team’s competitive debut under focus before round 15 in Baku.
Szafnauer questions Cadillac’s setup
Szafnauer called Cadillac’s divided US and UK structure “suboptimal” in comments published on Sunday, September 21. The organization is contesting its first Formula 1 campaign with two experienced drivers, yet neither has scored.
Cadillac operates on both sides of the Atlantic. The current reporting includes no response from the team to Szafnauer’s assessment, and no structural change has been confirmed.
For now, the issue amounts to a public warning from an experienced former team boss, rather than evidence of an immediate Cadillac reorganization.
Its next competitive test is close.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place from September 24 through September 26. It opens a run of three consecutive race weekends, with Bahrain in Malaysia scheduled for October 2 through October 4 and Singapore following from October 9 through October 11.
Cadillac faces a crowded points fight
The standings show the scale of Cadillac’s task. Yuki Tsunoda occupies the final scoring position with one point, while Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso have three apiece. Alexander Albon is on five, one point behind Williams teammate Carlos Sainz.
Nico Hulkenberg has scored seven points for Audi, while Gabriel Bortoleto has 10. Oliver Bearman follows on 18 for Haas, ahead of Franco Colapinto on 27 and Arvid Lindblad on 31.
Cadillac is tied on zero with Lance Stroll in the drivers’ table. Bottas and Perez are classified behind the other scoreless driver, with 23 drivers included in the championship standings.
Baku gives the team another opportunity to score, although no Cadillac upgrade or driver change has been confirmed for the weekend.
Baku arrives with Antonelli in command
Kimi Antonelli leads the wider championship into Azerbaijan with 292 points. The Mercedes driver sits 81 points clear of teammate George Russell, who has 211.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton holds third on 191, five points ahead of Lando Norris. Charles Leclerc has 167, Max Verstappen 145 and Oscar Piastri 120.
Antonelli has won eight of the first 14 Grands Prix, including the past two races in Italy and Spain. He won in Spain on September 13 by 4.351 seconds over Verstappen, with Norris finishing 5.089 seconds behind the winner.
Mercedes leads the constructors’ championship as well, with 503 points. Ferrari has 358, while McLaren has 306.
Cadillac’s zero comes during a season in which the established front-runners have already collected hundreds of points, while several other new-era projects have opened their accounts.
Experience has not produced points yet
Bottas and Perez brought Cadillac a combined level of Formula 1 experience that set the team apart from a typical new entry. After 14 rounds, that experience has not delivered a championship point.
No change to either seat has been confirmed. There is also no verified indication that Cadillac will alter its transatlantic structure during the current season.
The race weekends are therefore the immediate measure of progress. Azerbaijan starts a demanding stretch, followed by Malaysia and Singapore, before a short break leading into the United States Grand Prix from October 23 through October 25.
Mexico comes next from October 30 through November 1, followed by São Paulo from November 6 through November 8. Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi complete the published 2026 schedule.
First point remains the immediate target
Cadillac arrives in Baku with a clear competitive objective: move off zero.
A single point would put Bottas or Perez level with Tsunoda in the drivers’ standings. Four would lift either Cadillac driver ahead of Ocon and Alonso. The margins are small, but the team still has to clear that first threshold.
Szafnauer’s “suboptimal” description raises an organizational question before a weekend with a measurable sporting target. Practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix begins on Thursday, September 24, with the race scheduled for Saturday, September 26.
