Sky Sports commentator: ‘Cadillac’ is shocked by Bottas's brake failure in Hungary

During the broadcast of the Sky Sports F1 Show, British commentator David Croft shared his impressions of the reaction from the Alfa Romeo team staff, often referred to in the media by the nickname 'Cadillac'. According to him, after Valtteri Bottas, the driver who moved to Alfa Romeo from Mercedes, faced a repeat brake failure on the track in Budapest, the team staff were 'devastated'.

Croft noted that Bottas's brake issue was not an isolated incident. Last week in the same race, the brake system 'caught fire', and the track conditions – short straights and high temperatures – contributed to overheating. According to the commentator, the team believed they had found the cause, but new incidents forced them to reconsider their conclusions.

The team's approach to solving the problem

According to Croft, representatives from Alfa Romeo are rejecting excuses related to the fact that they are just newcomers in Formula 1. Instead, they emphasize the need to 'get to the bottom of the issue' and completely eliminate the defect. 'We cannot afford to make allowances just because the team is new,' quotes Croft one of the engineers involved in the discussion.

The commentator emphasized that this mindset, in his opinion, is a model for the entire series. He noted that in Formula 1 it is important to react quickly to technical failures rather than to tolerate them, especially when it comes to the safety of the driver and the reputation of the team.

Bottas, driving for Alfa Romeo, has repeatedly faced brake system issues in recent seasons, which is partly explained by the design features of the car and the demands of working in a hot climate. On the track in Budapest, where the air temperature often exceeds 30 °C, the load on the brake discs and pads increases, raising the risk of overheating.

Croft also reminded that the team has several hot races ahead, including Singapore and Malaysia. Both of these Grands Prix traditionally take place in conditions of high humidity and temperature, which places additional emphasis on the reliability of the brake systems.

According to experts, if Alfa Romeo can identify and eliminate the root cause of failures, it could significantly improve its standings in the championship. For now, the team is focused on intensive testing, data analysis, and working with component suppliers.

Thus, David Croft's comment reveals the internal perception of the crisis at Alfa Romeo: employees are under significant emotional pressure, but at the same time, they demonstrate determination to solve the problem to avoid similar incidents in future races.

Source: Championat