--- title: "Bottas: Cadillac must fix reliability before chasing speed" description: "Finnish driver calls out power unit supplier after three straight DNFs, demanding race finishes take priority over raw pace" url: https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/bottas-destapa-la-prioridad-de-cadillac-primero-hay-que-ac-5eefb655 published: 2026-07-03T05:43:03.917+00:00 updated: 2026-07-03T05:43:03.917+00:00 author: "Kostadin Stamboliev" publisher: "Pineido" site: "Sportopod" language: en topics: ["f1", "motorsport"] --- # Bottas: Cadillac must fix reliability before chasing speed > Finnish driver calls out power unit supplier after three straight DNFs, demanding race finishes take priority over raw pace Valtteri Bottas has delivered a blunt assessment of the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’s power unit supplier, Cadillac, after three consecutive Did Not Finishes forced him out of races. The 34-year-old Finn insists the team’s immediate priority must shift from chasing lap-time gains to solving fundamental reliability flaws. “Finishing races is the only thing that matters right now,” Bottas said. “We can’t keep developing the car’s speed if we can’t even get to the chequered flag.” The reliability crisis has already cost Sauber dearly. Bottas retired from the last three events—Monaco, Barcelona, and Montreal—due to power unit failures, leaving the team scoreless in those rounds. The pattern has exposed critical weaknesses in Cadillac’s current F1 power unit, which was introduced at the start of the season as part of Sauber’s long-term partnership ahead of Audi’s full takeover in 2026. The team’s technical director, Andreas Seidl, acknowledged the urgency: “We need to understand why these failures are happening and fix them before we can even think about performance.” The pressure on Cadillac is mounting. The power unit supplier, which supplies engines to Sauber under the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber branding, has faced scrutiny over its adaptation to F1’s demanding conditions. Bottas, a 10-time race winner and former Mercedes driver, has been vocal about the need for a cultural shift within the squad. “It’s not about blaming anyone,” he said. “It’s about recognizing that we’re losing points we don’t even get to fight for. That’s unacceptable.” Sauber’s leadership is now under the microscope. Team principal Alessandro Alunni Bravi admitted the situation is “far from ideal” but stressed that the team is working around the clock to address the issues. “We’re in a transition phase, and transitions are never easy,” he said. “But we have to get this right. The foundation of reliability is non-negotiable.” The failures aren’t just about retirements—they’re eroding confidence. Sauber’s drivers, Zhou Guanyu and Bottas, have seen their race craft neutralized by mechanical issues, while the team’s constructors’ championship hopes slip further behind. The power unit’s struggles mirror broader challenges in F1, where reliability often separates midfield pretenders from genuine contenders. For Sauber, the clock is ticking: every DNF compounds the risk of falling irreparably behind in a season where points are the only currency that matters. Cadillac’s F1 project is now a litmus test for supplier integration. Unlike traditional engine manufacturers, Cadillac entered F1 with no prior experience in the sport, relying on Sauber’s infrastructure and expertise. The current crisis underscores the risks of such partnerships, where unproven technology meets the sport’s relentless demands. Bottas’s intervention signals that patience is wearing thin, and the supplier must deliver tangible results—or face reputational damage that could outlast the season. The crisis also reveals deeper strategic missteps. Sauber’s decision to partner with Cadillac was framed as a cost-effective bridge to Audi’s 2026 takeover, but the team now risks paying a higher price in lost points and momentum. The reliability failures have exposed a gap between ambition and execution, forcing Sauber to confront whether their supplier choice was premature. With Audi’s engineers already embedded in the program, the current struggles risk undermining the very transition the team is banking on. For F1 as a whole, Sauber’s predicament serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of untested supplier partnerships. The sport’s technical regulations demand relentless reliability, and teams cannot afford to gamble on unproven power units. Sauber’s struggles highlight the fine line between innovation and risk, where a single misstep can derail a season before it truly begins. What’s next: Sauber will convene an emergency powertrain summit this week to diagnose the root causes of the failures. Cadillac is expected to deliver a reliability-focused update before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 6, a race where Sauber cannot afford another DNF if they hope to salvage any points in the constructors’ championship. ## Why this matters Bottas’s intervention exposes a harsh truth for Sauber: raw potential is meaningless without reliability. The team’s transition to an Audi works squad in 2026 hinges on proving they can score points with their current Cadillac power unit. Without finishing races, Sauber risks squandering its momentum and damaging its credibility ahead of Audi’s full takeover. Bottas’s call for a reset is a reality check that could define the team’s trajectory for the rest of the season. ## Frequently asked ### Why has Sauber’s Cadillac power unit been failing? The exact cause remains under investigation, but Bottas and team leadership point to fundamental reliability flaws in the power unit’s adaptation to F1’s demands. Three consecutive DNFs—Monaco, Barcelona, and Montreal—highlight a pattern of mechanical failures that have derailed races. ### What does Bottas mean by ‘fix the basics’? Bottas is urging the team to prioritize race finishes over performance development. Without finishing races, Sauber cannot score points or build momentum, making reliability the non-negotiable first step before chasing lap-time gains. ### How will this affect Sauber’s transition to Audi? Sauber’s 2026 plans depend on proving they can score points with their current power unit. Chronic reliability issues risk undermining their credibility and could delay Audi’s confidence in the partnership. ### When is Sauber’s next race? The British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 6. Sauber cannot afford another DNF if they hope to salvage points in the constructors’ championship. ### Who is Cadillac in F1? Cadillac supplies the power unit to the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber under a multi-year deal. The partnership is part of Sauber’s long-term strategy ahead of Audi’s full takeover in 2026. ### Has Sauber faced reliability issues before with Cadillac? This is the first season with Cadillac as the power unit supplier, but the current failures mark the third consecutive race without a finish for both drivers, a stark contrast to Sauber’s pre-season expectations. ## Sources & Citations - [Bottas destapa la prioridad de Cadillac: "Primero hay que acabar carreras"](https://es.motorsport.com/f1/news/bottas-destapa-prioridad-cadillac-terminar-carreras/10835371/) — GNews.io (2026-07-01) --- Cite: Bottas: Cadillac must fix reliability before chasing speed. Sportopod, 2026-07-03. https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/bottas-destapa-la-prioridad-de-cadillac-primero-hay-que-ac-5eefb655