Valtteri Bottas pointed squarely at a deeply uncooperative Cadillac MAC-26 to explain his bleak Canadian Grand Prix weekend, revealing after the race that severe, un-remedied mechanical and power issues left him completely hamstrung at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The 10-time grand prix winner endured a brutal weekend in Montreal, culminating in a last-place finish on the road, crossing the line a massive four laps behind race winner Kimi Antonelli.
The sobering result underscored a widening gap between Bottas and his Cadillac teammate, Sergio Perez, who comfortably controlled the intra-team battle from the opening sessions.
While an eight-tenths deficit to Perez in sprint qualifying didn't tell the whole story – given that a red flag triggered by Fernando Alonso stripped Bottas of a final push lap – the exact same performance delta reappeared during main qualifying, stripping away any excuses regarding track positioning.
A moving target in the cockpit
The root of the struggle, according to the veteran Finn, lay inside an erratic chassis that transformed from session to session, completely destroying his confidence on the fast, wall-lined Canadian street circuit.
"We had a few issues with the setup, the car was very different in each session, and even [in the grand prix], there were some things that we couldn't fix, so the car is not 100%," Bottas told post-race media.
The unpredictable behavior meant Bottas was constantly fighting the machinery rather than pushing the limits of the track. Compounding the chassis balance woes was a suspected deficit under the engine cover, leaving the car vulnerable on Montreal's long, power-heavy straights.
"For sure, it's not yet in a place where I can gain good confidence with the car, but also we know that my power wasn't 100%," Bottas added.
Playing catch-up on the grid
The dismal weekend highlights the steep learning curve currently facing Cadillac's fledgling Formula 1 program.
Just a handful of rounds into its ambitious project, the American manufacturer is discovering the unforgiving nature of the sport's cutting-edge engineering wars.
When asked what the absolute priority is for himself and the newcomer squad moving forward, the former Williams, Mercedes, and Sauber driver offered a clear one-word reply.
"Performance," Bottas responded bluntly.
Despite the frustration of driving a compromised car in Montreal, the 36-year-old maintained that the team's underlying development rate remains a massive positive.
"Both mechanically and aero-wise equally, we've got to improve and find new parts, but there are parts coming for pretty much each race, and that's a good thing," Bottas concluded.
Read also: Perez wants answers after bizarre Cadillac suspension collapse
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