There’s a lot of noise on the Internet right now about who will drive for the Cadillac Formula 1 team in 2026. Will it be former F1 drivers, juniors graduating from other formulas, or perhaps even an IndyCar driver? And considering the team will need four drivers total—two full-time racers, a reserve driver, and a development driver—could it be all of the above?
Back in March, Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon told me he was keeping his options open and that there was no valid reason he couldn’t hire an American driver. He also emphasized that the available spots would be awarded on merit, and that the team wasn’t being pressured, per se, to hire someone in specific. In other words, all options were on the table.
On Tuesday, Lowdon finally went a step further and confirmed the names of some of the drivers the team has been talking to. Much to no one’s surprise, it’s Red Bull’s best-ever Number 2, Sergio Perez, and Mercedes’ best-ever Number 2, Valteri Bottas. It’s the third name that struck me as a bit of a surprise: Mick Schumacher. The young, second-generation racer never truly got the opportunity he deserved in F1—and although other successful rookies have had the same challenges, I would argue that Mick probably could’ve done better with a team other than Haas.
Perez is undoubtedly the top choice here, given his experience with small and big teams, as well as his legendary skills of tire and fuel conservation, and overall race management. And not to mention that he’s a fine team player, having helped Max Verstappen win one if not two of his world titles.
Bottas is a solid candidate, too. His years of experience at Mercedes are worth millions to Cadillac, which will undoubtedly need help establishing processes and procedures, as well as a great communicator to bridge the gap between drivers and engineering. Cadillac’s development efforts will only be as effective as its drivers. And of course, Bottas’ marketing appeal won’t hurt with sponsors and merch sales.
But what about someone else? Lowdon may have mentioned those three names, but it certainly doesn’t mean they aren’t talking to more drivers. If you were in his shoes, who would you hire, and what would your lineup look like?
For me, I’d hire Checo and poach Alex Palou from IndyCar—why not! I’d give Schumacher the reserve driver role, and keep Bottas as a development driver. Laugh at me all you want in the comments.
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