Cadillac runs ‘virtual Monza GP’ ahead of F1 debut

Sep.12 (GMM) Cadillac is ramping up preparations for its 2026 Formula 1 entry, having staged a full-scale ‘shadow race weekend’ at last week’s Italian GP at Monza.

According to Italy’s Autosprint, the American outfit mirrored every aspect of the grand prix from its Charlotte and Silverstone bases, with engineers, strategists and media staff running through the weekend as if Cadillac was already on the grid.

The exercise involved around 50 people, with the ‘digital car’ updated session by session in simulators and then analysed in technical debriefs. Strategy teams rehearsed variable scenarios such as tyre management, safety cars and weather changes, while reliability meetings simulated checks on the power unit and transmission.

“It wasn’t just an academic exercise – the goal was to replicate the complexity of a race weekend in every detail,” reported journalist Ilaria Toscano.

Cadillac, led by bosses Dan Towriss and Graeme Lowdon, who were both at Monza, reportedly first trialled the program during the Spanish GP in Barcelona earlier this year.

The scheme also includes mock media duties for the drivers – to be Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez next year – designed to help rookies and veterans balance interviews, sponsor commitments and technical briefings.

Software development is another benefit, with data from the simulations feeding predictive algorithms that Cadillac hopes will sharpen its race strategies by the time of its official debut in Melbourne 2026.

Towriss’ new personal assistant Fiona Hewitson – who was previously caught up in the Christian Horner-Red Bull saga – is now part of the management structure overseeing Cadillac’s Formula 1 project.

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