F1 test restrictions cause Cadillac Team headache for 2026 prep

[John S]

Stringent car testing policies make it harder now for entirely new Teams entering F1.
Cadillac will need to use some kind of outdated mule car to train & sharpen frontline pit crew & engineers.

Yet more stupid restrictions on new kids on the block over & above the senseless personal block by Liberty of Andretti. 

https://www.racefans.net/2025/05/02/cadillac-f1-team-will-test-some-form-of-single-seater-before-2026/

[Jericoke]

It makes sense that Cadillac can't do more with 2026 cars than any other team.  If a new team gets an advantage, what stops Williams from closing operations at the end of 2025 and selling their team to Billiams who spends all of 2025 developing the 2026 car?

Now if F1 was desperate for new teams, then it would make sense to be generous to new teams, but Cadillac was brought on with surprising reluctance, and giving them special treatment probably would have caused more problems for them to join the grid.  Maybe if Haas had struggled like expected in their first season instead of putting up respectable results, people wouldn't be as concerned with a new team getting a leg up.