I think when we decided to give him the race seat one and a half years ago, we hoped for this trajectory. The ups and downs you expect from a young driver aged 18 in the first year, and eventually by the second year [we hoped] the success would materialize and I think this is happening.
The product is Pedra's DRS (Drag Reduce System) and, according to the post, is currently a prototype. An electronic noise, similar to that of SRAM mechanical shifting, is heard, leading one to assume someone is hitting a button to activate the system.
We've been involved with the business for five years now. It's an incredible brand with lots of legacy and great values, and there's a long-term plan here. That was supported by two things last year: Carlos joining us, who obviously saw the opportunity when it came to wanting to win; and finishing fifth. And that just supported our story of going back to the top.
When I was younger I was frustrated, I was getting angry, especially when I was at Williams and finishing second to last every weekend. I was pissed off. I worked my whole life to get to F1 and now I'm at the back, and doing nothing. So I had to work on that, how do I deal with that and I came to the realisation that I just need to focus on my job.
In the short term, expectations are brutally realistic, but this is still a team intent on making noise from day one. That intent will be made clear when Cadillac unveils the livery of its first F1 car during a Super Bowl commercial Sunday. Such a move is a statement and arrival aimed as much at mainstream America as at a paddock that, for years, questioned whether the brand belonged on the grid at all.
In short, it's because of a complete overhaul of the power unit, chassis and aerodynamic regulations for 2026. Such a big change, especially on the engine side, means teams need a couple of extra tests to get their heads around how to operate the new cars before the first race. It was the same last time we had a major power unit shake-up in 2014.
With more power generated by electricity than last year's engines, there is more emphasis on drivers needing to be tactical with energy deployment and regeneration. The old drag reduction system has been replaced by a new overtake mode, giving extra power for overtaking.
