Pollock cautions that patience is essential for Cadillac as they enter Formula 1 for the first time.

Pollock cautions that patience is essential for Cadillac as they enter Formula 1 for the first time.

      "Cadillac is undertaking a task I once faced"

      Craig Pollock acknowledges that Cadillac is embarking on a challenging journey as it establishes a Formula 1 team from the ground up, yet he believes the timing for their entry is quite favorable. The former founder of BAR and the person who guided Jacques Villeneuve's career expressed to La Presse Canadienne that Cadillac is tackling similar obstacles that he encountered in the past.

      "Cadillac is doing what I had to do," Pollock stated. "You begin from zero, and you have to construct the team. That’s incredibly difficult."

      BAR, known for its rocky start in 1999 when it failed to achieve a single point, eventually made improvements. Pollock emphasized the need to manage expectations wisely this time around. "A team is not merely about assembling 400, 500, or 600 individuals," he elaborated. "Building a team takes considerable time. It may require three to five years."

      He is confident that Cadillac has taken lessons from previous experiences, citing the hiring of Graeme Lowdon, the former Marussia leader. "They won’t repeat the mistakes we made in the beginning," Pollock remarked, referring to BAR’s early overestimation of their potential for victories in their inaugural season.

      In contrast to BAR’s situation, Cadillac will enter the sport at a time of complete regulatory changes. "This is unequivocally the best moment to join as the 11th team," Pollock emphasized, highlighting that all competitors are essentially starting anew under the 2026 regulations.

      Pollock also endorsed Cadillac's selection of seasoned drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. "It’s a clever choice because they bring their experience from previous teams and can assist the engineers in making necessary adjustments," he noted.

      However, he qualified this by saying, "Both are excellent drivers, but in reality, they have consistently played the role of second driver on their respective teams."

      Regarding Aston Martin’s prominent recruitment of Adrian Newey, Pollock expressed some caution. Having collaborated briefly with Newey at Williams, he acknowledged the designer's exceptional competence but raised questions about his new position as team principal. "There are never any miracles in F1," Pollock cautioned. "We’ll have to see. It’s not just about him; it’s the entire team that surrounds him. Everyone needs to collaborate. But if he is pulled in two directions... that’s something I would avoid."

Pollock cautions that patience is essential for Cadillac as they enter Formula 1 for the first time.

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BAR, known for its rocky start in 1999 when it failed to achieve a single point, eventually made improvements. Pollock emphasized the need to manage expectations wisely this time around. "A team is not merely about assembling 400, 500, or 600 individuals," he elaborated. "Building a team takes considerable time. It may require three to five years." He is confident that Cadillac has taken lessons from previous experiences, citing the hiring of Graeme Lowdon, the former Marussia leader. "They won’t repeat the mistakes we made in the beginning," Pollock remarked, referring to BAR’s early overestimation of their potential for victories in their inaugural season. In contrast to BAR’s situation, Cadillac will enter the sport at a time of complete regulatory changes. "This is unequivocally the best moment to join as the 11th team," Pollock emphasized, highlighting that all competitors are essentially starting anew under the 2026 regulations. Pollock also endorsed Cadillac's selection of seasoned drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. "It’s a clever choice because they bring their experience from previous teams and can assist the engineers in making necessary adjustments," he noted. However, he qualified this by saying, "Both are excellent drivers, but in reality, they have consistently played the role of second driver on their respective teams." Regarding Aston Martin’s prominent recruitment of Adrian Newey, Pollock expressed some caution. Having collaborated briefly with Newey at Williams, he acknowledged the designer's exceptional competence but raised questions about his new position as team principal. "There are never any miracles in F1," Pollock cautioned. "We’ll have to see. It’s not just about him; it’s the entire team that surrounds him. Everyone needs to collaborate. But if he is pulled in two directions... that’s something I would avoid." "Cadillac is undertaking a task I once faced" Craig Pollock acknowledges that Cadillac is embarking on a challenging journey as it establishes a Formula 1 team from the ground up, yet he believes the timing for their entry is quite favorable. The former founder of BAR and the person who guided Jacques Villeneuve's career expressed to La Presse Canadienne that Cadillac is tackling similar obstacles that he encountered in the past. "Cadillac is doing what I had to do," Pollock stated. "You begin from zero, and you have to construct the team. That’s incredibly difficult." BAR, known for its rocky start in 1999 when it failed to achieve a single point, eventually made improvements. Pollock emphasized the need to manage expectations wisely this time around. "A team is not merely about assembling 400, 500, or 600 individuals," he elaborated. "Building a team takes considerable time. It may require three to five years." He is confident that Cadillac has taken lessons from previous experiences, citing the hiring of Graeme Lowdon, the former Marussia leader. "They won’t repeat the mistakes we made in the beginning," Pollock remarked, referring to BAR’s early overestimation of their potential for victories in their inaugural season. In contrast to BAR’s situation, Cadillac will enter the sport at a time of complete regulatory changes. "This is unequivocally the best moment to join as the 11th team," Pollock emphasized, highlighting that all competitors are essentially starting anew under the 2026 regulations. Pollock also endorsed Cadillac's selection of seasoned drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. "It’s a clever choice because they bring their experience from previous teams and can assist the engineers in making necessary adjustments," he noted. However, he qualified this by saying, "Both are excellent drivers, but in reality, they have consistently played the role of second driver on their respective teams." Regarding Aston Martin’s prominent recruitment of Adrian Newey, Pollock expressed some caution. Having collaborated briefly with Newey at Williams, he acknowledged the designer's exceptional competence but raised questions about his new position as team principal. "There are never any miracles in F1," Pollock cautioned. "We’ll have to see. It’s not just about him; it’s the entire team that surrounds him. Everyone needs to collaborate. But if he is pulled in two directions... that’s something I would avoid." Formula 1 | Aston Martin ambassador Pedro de la Rosa is of the opinion that the extensive regulatory overhaul set for 2026 could disrupt the competitive hierarchy during each race. (…)

Pollock cautions that patience is essential for Cadillac as they enter Formula 1 for the first time.

Formula 1 | Craig Pollock states that Cadillac has a challenging and extended journey ahead as it establishes a Formula 1 team from the ground up – but emphasizes that the timing of its entry could (…)