Pit boxes are being built at the Austin circuit for Cadillac F1.

      Bobby Epstein, president of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), where the United States Grand Prix will take place in October, welcomes the arrival of the American Formula 1 team Cadillac, believing that both his company and the world championship as a whole will benefit from it.

      “I think Cadillac’s arrival will be of great benefit to us and to our sport,” Epstein says. “A week ago their factory team raced here at our WEC round. I expect this company to actively promote its brand, and that will be great.

      I’m already thinking about the opportunities this opens up for us. Since this is a car manufacturer, Cadillac cars could be used as race taxis, we could run tours of the Cadillac garage, drawing particular attention to the American driver. That combination of factors will be very favorable for us.”

      Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez will race for General Motors’ factory team in its first Formula 1 season, but Cadillac has already signed Colton Herta, a popular IndyCar driver, who will serve as test driver.

      COTA has already begun preparing for the arrival of the championship’s new 11th team and is building garages for it, adding them to the existing pit complex. In this regard Epstein told the following story:

      “Because another team is joining the championship, we have to build new garages. And someone said, ‘So you’re building garages for Cadillac.’ Since the team that will occupy those pits will be the one that finished last in the championship, I replied, ‘Why do you assume these are Cadillac’s garages? Personally, I don’t expect them to finish last.’

      Then I was reminded that that depends on the team’s results in the previous season — I had simply forgotten about that. So for now these garages will, by default, automatically go to Cadillac, but I don’t think this team will finish last in the championship!”