Cadillac accelerates its entry into Formula 1: Who will be the drivers?
Cadillac’s Formula 1 program is in full preparation for its debut in 2026, where it will join as the eleventh team on the grid. However, the identity of its two drivers still remains a secret. The team has made it clear that the selection of its lineup is a priority that will be defined later, as they approach their first race, the Australian Grand Prix on March 8th of next year, after ten days of pre-season testing in Barcelona and Bahrain. With the F1 transfer season usually in full swing during the European summer, speculation about who will compete for the eleventh F1 team will intensify in the coming weeks. Who could be chosen to fill the two seats for the Detroit brand?Why the wait?
Cadillac is in a relatively quiet position regarding announcing its drivers. With the team’s debut just around the corner, all attention is focused on the single-seater. The identity of those who will be in the cockpit can wait.In addition to team building, there are broader factors at play. Many of the most renowned F1 drivers are tied to their current teams for multiple seasons. There are also usually few benefits in making early decisions in the driver market. For example, if a seismic change were to occur in the coming months and Max Verstappen decided to leave Red Bull to go to Mercedes or Aston Martin, although unlikely, the domino effect would be enormous. Alpine, which will compete with a Mercedes engine in 2026, also seems to have a very attractive seat available, as the team is not convinced of either Jack Doohan or Franco Colapinto.“A good comment, in fact, from someone who toured the facilities was: ‘I can see why the drivers are not the number one priority, as they are in other teams, where they face a different level of what is already in place.’ So no, nothing has been decided yet.”
Graeme Lowdon, team boss
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According to Lowdon: “We know who is on the market, we have a good idea of what we need, but we are still far from reaching that stage. I think there is a very strong argument to say that a new team in its first year of competition would benefit enormously from experienced people.” Two pilots with legitimate experience in race victories within a champion team are available and seem to be the most obvious and desired candidates.Sergio Pérez
Pérez has been out of the game since he was removed from Red Bull at the end of last year. The performance of Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda has not been better in that car this year, which has led to a quick review of how Pérez really did, although his 2023 and 2024 seasons were incredibly difficult. It is a known fact in the paddock that being Verstappen’s teammate could be the most difficult job of all, and Pérez’s reputation has not been significantly damaged as to rule him out of this opportunity. Sources at Alofoke Deportes have indicated that Cadillac contacted Pérez immediately after his agreement with Red Bull was terminated. He has not been in a hurry to commit, being able to enjoy life away from racing for the first time since he was a child, but neither has the American team. It is understood that Pérez is still first on their list. Winner of multiple races and very popular with Latin American fans, he would be a very successful option for Cadillac’s inaugural season in F1.Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas generated anticipation on social media with a recent post in which he approached a parked Cadillac and said: “Oh, wow, that’s a good seat.” The cheeky and provocative post suggested great confidence in what he will do next season, but it was a classic Bottas. The post was very well received, demonstrating how popular the former Mercedes driver remains among F1 fans.
Clearly, Bottas is a strong contender and Alofoke Deportes understands that conversations have been ongoing for a while. Like Pérez, his pedigree is evident, with knowledge of the ins and outs of the Mercedes team under his belt. Unlike Pérez, Bottas was able to enjoy a renaissance after ceasing to be the teammate of a world champion, with two solid seasons at Sauber. There is no doubt that Cadillac’s interest is strong. Bottas is a safe bet and still has much to offer another team.
It should be noted that Cadillac could face difficulties if it wants Pérez and Bottas to lead the line. It is understood that Flavio Briatore has contacted both about a seat at Alpine. Previously, Alpine has been a risky proposition, but it will switch to a Mercedes engine next season, making it a very attractive proposition.Other options
Zhou Guanyu
Perhaps an unexpected option, but Zhou’s name has been circulating for a while. The first Chinese F1 driver had three seasons as Bottas’ teammate at Suber, but never shone during that time. The consensus in the paddock is that he is a good driver, with an obvious advantage: great marketability in Asia, which is incredibly valuable for car manufacturers.
Since leaving Sauber, Zhou has become a reserve and simulator driver for Ferrari, remaining at the center of the paddock in his absence. There’s another good reason why he’s in the equation: Cadillac team boss Lowdon is his manager.Yuki Tsunoda
It’s difficult to understand what Tsunoda will do next. His dream move to Red Bull has become a kind of nightmare since the Japanese Grand Prix, as he has fallen victim to the same problems that Pérez encountered: the tough yardstick of being Verstappen’s teammate. Tsunoda’s close ties with Honda, which gave Red Bull a discount on the engine for the last year of their partnership in exchange for his promotion, make it unlikely that he will remain with the former world champions beyond this season. Cadillac would seem like an attractive proposition; an exit from the Red Bull program and an opportunity to get in on the ground floor with a team that will become a full-fledged manufacturer by the end of the decade. Sources have confirmed to Alofoke Deportes that Tsunoda’s agent spoke with Cadillac at the Monaco Grand Prix; informal conversations were already underway before Tsunoda’s surprising rise in April, which put things on hold for a brief period.Are there viable American or IndyCar candidates?
From the beginning, there has been a clear desire to have an American driver at the head of this team. Even when Michael Andretti tried to buy Sauber a few years before the plans for an eleventh team began to take off, it was clear that IndyCar driver Colton Herta was fundamental to his plans. While Andretti has been removed from the Cadillac project, his father Mario is on the board, and the ideal scenario would be to have an American driver on the roster.
Achieving this will be difficult. Herta is not a certainty; he needs to finish fourth in the championship this year, or fifth, with two FP1 appearances, before the end of the F1 season to have the super license points he needs to be eligible to compete next year. Earlier this year, he seemed to distance himself from the idea of moving to F1. There’s an unexpected option closer to home in the F1 orbit. Jak Crawford, born in Charlotte, North Carolina, is competing in Formula 2 this season and will be granted a super license if he finishes fifth or higher in the championship. An Aston Martin reserve driver, Crawford could present a risky option as a rookie, but 2025 has shown how prepared many young drivers in the development series are when they make the jump to F1. There’s no reason to think he couldn’t do the same; he’s shown flashes of real promise in F2, where he’s third in the championship, with wins in Monaco and Imola.What about Ricciardo?
Daniel Ricciardo is perhaps the elephant in the room when discussing Cadillac’s options. The very popular Australian has not returned to the Formula 1 paddock since Red Bull unceremoniously kicked him out after last year’s Singapore Grand Prix. Ricciardo would be the best driver available from a purely marketing perspective, and if he could revive the form of his first stint with Red Bull, then it could be a dream move. However, there is little indication that Ricciardo is desperate to return to F1. Since he left near the end of last season, he has grown a beard and seems to be enjoying some downtime on his Perth farm, as well as launching a new tailgate venture along with his wine business, DR3, and his Enchanté clothing range. He seems content to focus on those ventures for the foreseeable future.At a pop-up event in New York for his clothing line last year, a fan filmed a selfie with Ricciardo and simply asked him: “Cadillac? Cadillac?”. Ricciardo shook his head and simply replied: “No, I’m done”. That feeling seems to be legitimate. Sources close to Ricciardo have told Alofoke Deportes that he has no interest in returning to Formula 1 and that he may be finished with motor racing for good.
