Mario Andretti: We have to be patient and realistic with Cadillac because the ingredients are all there

The General Motors backed team has yet to score points in its opening races but has shown early signs of stability, finishing with both cars in the last two Grands Prix and demonstrating encouraging reliability.

“This has been a long time coming,” Andretti told F1.com. “But all the effort has been totally worthwhile. There’s so much energy within this group and we see this as only the beginning, because it’s a long term commitment.”

Cadillac entered the season facing established front runners such as Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull, and Andretti acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead: “Everything is coming together. We have to be patient and realistic. The ingredients are all there, that’s what’s important to me.”

The team has leaned on experience in its driver line up, with Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas bringing more than 500 Grands Prix between them, including race wins with championship winning teams.

“They have a wealth of experience between the two of them,” Andretti said. “They have driven for top teams and know what is needed.”

Cadillac’s early focus has been on consistency, with Perez finishing every race so far including the Sprint, while Bottas delivered a best result of 13th place in China.

The next step is closing the gap to the midfield and targeting the team’s first championship point, a task Andretti admits will take time: “We are just taking it one day at a time. As I said, this is the beginning of something big. We have to think big.”

The team will bring updates to the Miami Grand Prix following a five week break, which marks its first home race weekend in Formula 1, for which they will sport a special homecoming livery for the occasion.