Graeme Lowdon stays grounded on Cadillac testing: 'It's the hope that gets you, I'm a Newcastle fan'

Cadillac Formula 1 team principal Graeme Lowdon has admitted that the positive start to testing for the American outfit has not changed his expectations for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Pre-season testing started today in Bahrain after a private shakedown in Barcelona from 26 - 30 January. As Cadillac prepares for its first season in F1, it used the shakedown to test every part of its garage and is now focused on getting through its individual testing programme in Bahrain.

"No, it's the hope that always gets you in the end, isn't it? I'm a Newcastle fan, I know it," Lowdon joked when asked if the start of testing had changed his hopes for the Australian Grand Prix, confirming he would not get carried away with early positive signs.

"Perfect combination for the task at hand. I guess like every team in the paddock, we're just ploughing on through our individual programmes.

"Barcelona was very much a shakedown, and in particular for a new team that was very useful because we're not just shaking down the car but every single item in the garage, everything from jacks to toolboxes to whatever, there's not a single thing there that's been used before.

"So the shakedown was very much about trying to get a stable platform and once we've got that, we'll just see where we get to this week and next week, focusing much more on actually running the car and seeing where we get to.

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

"We're realistic about how hard it is. I certainly hope that we don't project an image of overconfidence because we don't have that. We're very grounded on what the challenge is.

"That doesn't stop us from, as I said before, that doesn't stop us from having bold ambition for the future. The future's a long way off, so I think we'll just keep our heads down, keep working and see where we get to."

The first week of Bahrain pre-season testing runs from 11-13 February and the second week from 18-20 February before the Australian Grand Prix from 6-8 March.