Cadillac has still not managed to break the 3-second barrier during a pit stop in F1, with a best time of 3,11 seconds achieved with Sergio Pérez during the Australian Grand Prix.
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A respectable time for a structure still in its ramp-up phase, but one that remains behind the field’s benchmarks.
Today, teams like Red Bull Racing, Ferrari or Mercedes regularly string together stops under 2,5 seconds, setting an extremely high standard.
A symbolic time
In modern Formula 1, pit stops have become a critical performance factor: a few tenths can decide a successful undercut or a lost position on track. In this context, breaking the 3-second mark is no longer a secondary objective, but a strategic necessity.
The time of 3,11 seconds recorded for Pérez shows that Cadillac is progressing, but also highlights the gap to be closed. To compete with the top teams, the challenge is twofold: gaining pure speed, but also consistency.
This involves several areas: refining procedures, optimizing pit crew coordination, making tire changes more reliable and reducing micro-latencies in every movement. At this level, performance relies on perfectly synchronized execution.
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Training relentlessly
With more training and repetitions, it is entirely realistic to see Cadillac go under 3 seconds. But beyond the occasional flash of brilliance, the real goal will be to reproduce these performances consistently throughout the season.
It is under this condition that the team will be able to truly close the gap with the elite and establish itself as a credible player in Formula 1.
Despite this handicap, Pérez highlights Cadillac’s steady progress since the start of the season.
“I think we have progressed at every Grand Prix, Checo says. This is the first race where, overall, everything went quite smoothly, apart from deployment issues I had in qualifying. I really hope we can take this step forward, including during pit stops, to be in the mix with the midfield.”
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