Cadillac boss Graeme Lowdon has said the specifics of carrying out some testing before year\u2019s end aren\u2019t important, as what matters is simply getting out on track.<\/p>\n
Rumours have swirled in recent months that Cadillac is hoping to carry out a private test under TPC (Testing of a Previous Car) regulations, utilising another team\u2019s car, and Lowdon has confirmed there is intent to carry out some testing before the end of 2025.<\/p>\n
Graeme Lowdon: The car we use for testing isn\u2019t important<\/p>\n
TPC rules allow for private testing time for a competitor using cars designed and constructed to comply with the technical regulations of any of the three calendar years prior to the year of the current championship.<\/p>\n
Put simply, for Cadillac<\/a>, a TPC outing in 2025 would require a car from 2022, \u201923, or \u201924, but, of course, as a new constructor from next year, the American squad doesn\u2019t have a car yet.<\/p>\n The regulations do allow for a competitor to use a suitable car from a rival team, provided there is prior authorisation from the FIA.<\/p>\n With Valtteri Bottas under contract at Mercedes, it\u2019s likely that Sergio Perez would be the driver entrusted with any such test outings arranged, but, for now, it\u2019s not clear what car Cadillac could use.<\/p>\n PlanetF1.com understands from sources close to the situation that Cadillac is close to firming up its test plans, with a car secured for an outing before the end of this year, although whether this is a TPC arrangement with another team or simply using a lower category car isn\u2019t yet clarified.<\/p>\n However, in Lowdon\u2019s eyes, the car itself is inconsequential \u2013 the purpose of such a test is merely to allow the new employees and trackside teams of the squad to start gelling together, and get familiar with all the systems and procedures before embarking on a competitive racing season.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have a previous car. The car isn\u2019t actually important,\u201d Lowdon explained on the\u00a0Beyond The Grid\u00a0podcast, when asked about the TPC rumours.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not looking to do this test to engineer something, which is what a lot of the other teams are looking to do at the minute.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want the mechanics to get used to regain that muscle memory of working with a live car, it doesn\u2019t have to be a Formula 1 car. It\u2019s good if it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Cars older than the TPC regulations can also be used under Testing of Historic Cars (THC) regulations, and Lowdon said this could be an option.<\/p>\n \u201cIf a car reaches a certain age, it\u2019s no longer a previous car, it becomes a historic car. So we could be doing some THC testing, or whatever,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reality is, I wouldn\u2019t get too hung up on whether it\u2019s TPC, THC, whatever, or even whether it\u2019s an F1 car.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we want is an environment where the mechanics get used to each other, and learn everyone\u2019s way of doing things\u201d.<\/p>\n While Cadillac\u2019s primary headquarters is in Charlotte, North Carolina, the squad also has established a headquarters at Silverstone, but Lowdon said such a test doesn\u2019t necessarily have to happen so close to home.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll depend on the location of whichever cars we\u2019re using because, again, the location doesn\u2019t matter. It could be anywhere,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt could be a place in Europe, it could be in Spain, it could be in Italy. The location doesn\u2019t really matter.<\/p>\n \u201cIdeally, we\u2019d prefer stable weather, but yeah, it doesn\u2019t really matter. The main thing is that everyone is together, learning to work together.\u201d<\/p>\n More on Cadillac from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Cadillac F1: Everything you need to know about the new 11th team<\/a><\/p>\n