Bottas has confirmed that there will be no Cadillac testing until January.

      "I'm set to begin working in January."

      Cadillac has subtly made its presence known on a Formula 1 circuit—not with its own vehicle, but with a de-badged black 2023 Ferrari driven by Sergio Perez at Imola. This two-day test, organized with Ferrari's assistance, aimed to train Cadillac's new pit crew ahead of the American brand's full F1 debut in 2026.

      "We're not testing the car; we're testing our personnel," stated team principal Graeme Lowdon to f1-insider.com. "We want our team to have similar experiences to those who work in the Formula 1 pit lane every day."

      Ferrari provided the SF-23 chassis, along with staff and facilities. Arthur Leclerc conducted a shakedown of the car at Fiorano before it was transported to Imola, where around 30 Ferrari and 20 Cadillac employees collaborated in nearby pit boxes.

      Perez, who is contracted with Cadillac until at least 2027, completed the program without issues. However, teammate Valtteri Bottas was unable to participate due to his ongoing contract as a Mercedes reserve driver, which does not expire until the end of 2025. Instead, the Finnish driver is in South Australia, where he and partner Tiffany Cromwell have acquired a 15-acre vineyard property. In an interview with local broadcaster Nine, Bottas expressed his support for Oscar Piastri, encouraging him to bounce back from his recent title challenges.

      "He still has all the opportunities," he commented. "There aren't many races left, but it only takes one poor performance from another driver for him to move back up. He's still at the beginning of his career and has a promising future ahead, regardless of this year's outcome."

      Regarding Cadillac, Bottas mentioned that the team's preparations are progressing according to plan. "It's a completely new venture—like bringing a new team into F1, there's a significant amount of work to do," he elaborated. "My summer in Australia will be quite brief since I’ll be starting with the new team in January. We expect to have a car ready by then."