Formula 1 News: Predicting who Cadillac will pick for its 2026 drivers

In the bustling motorsport hub of Fishers, Indiana, the newly formed Cadillac Formula 1 Team is a hive of ambition. It was early 2025, and with their debut season in 2026 fast approaching, the team, backed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports, faced a critical decision: who would pilot their Ferrari-powered cars in their inaugural campaign?

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Team Principal Graeme Lowdon, a seasoned F1 veteran from his days at Manor/Marussia, sat in the sleek new headquarters, surrounded by blueprints and data screens, poring over a shortlist of drivers. The goal was clear—build a lineup that balanced experience, potential, and marketability to make a splash in F1’s fiercely competitive grid.

Lowdon’s first instinct was to prioritize experience. A new team, especially one entering under the daunting 2026 regulations with compact cars and active aero, needed drivers who could provide reliable feedback to refine a fledgling car. The name at the top of his list was Valtteri Bottas, the 35-year-old Finnish driver and former Mercedes race winner.

Bottas, now a reserve at Mercedes after losing his Sauber seat, brought a wealth of experience—247 Grand Prix starts, 10 wins, and 67 podiums. His time at Mercedes had honed his ability to develop a car, and his recent stint at Sauber, a Ferrari customer team, gave him insight into the power unit Cadillac would use in 2026.

“Valtteri’s a proven commodity,” Lowdon told his team. “He’s calm, consistent, and knows how to work with engineers to squeeze every tenth out of a car.”

Bottas had also shown hunger, attending all 24 races in 2025 as Mercedes’ reserve, and his social media post posing next to a Cadillac SUV with the caption “Do we like this seat?” had sparked buzz among fans. His experience made him a safe bet to anchor the team, especially as they aimed to avoid the reliability pitfalls that often plague newcomers.

For the second seat, Lowdon wanted to take a calculated risk. The team’s American identity, underscored by Mario Andretti’s role as a board director, demanded consideration of a U.S. driver to excite the growing American F1 fanbase. Colton Herta, the 24-year-old IndyCar star from Andretti Global, was their obvious choice, but he has underperformed.

Herta had finished runner-up in the 2024 IndyCar standings, with nine career wins and 14 poles in 99 starts. His raw pace was undeniable, and his test with McLaren in 2022 had earned glowing reviews from team principal Andrea Stella, who called him “a great candidate.”

The catch? Herta lacks the 40 superlicense points required for F1. Sitting ninth in the 2025 IndyCar standings, 56 points behind fifth, he needed a top-five finish to secure the license, a tall order with only five races left.

Lowdon, however, saw potential. “Colton’s lack of points doesn’t reflect his talent,” he said, recalling Herta’s pole at Toronto. “If he gets the license, he’s our guy. An American in an American team—it’s a no-brainer for the fans.”

Mario Andretti, a vocal supporter, agreed, noting Herta’s history racing against talents like Lando Norris in Formula 3. The team decided to monitor Herta’s IndyCar finish while keeping a contingency plan.

As a backup, Lowdon considered Felipe Drugovich, the 25-year-old Brazilian and 2022 Formula 2 champion. Drugovich, Aston Martin’s reserve driver, had been overlooked for F1 seats despite his F2 dominance, partly due to a lack of openings.

His technical feedback during simulator sessions and his familiarity with F1 circuits made him a strong candidate for a rookie role.

“Felipe’s ready for a shot,” Lowdon noted. “He’s young, fast, and has the patience to grow with a new team.” Drugovich’s name had surfaced in talks, with posts on X suggesting he was high on Cadillac’s list for the second seat if Herta couldn’t secure a superlicense. His Latin American fanbase could also boost Cadillac’s global appeal, complementing their U.S.-focused branding.

Another name in the mix was Sergio Perez, the Mexican veteran with 285 Grand Prix starts, six wins, and 39 podiums. Perez, recently ousted from Red Bull, had been linked to Cadillac, with reports claiming a contract was nearly finalized. His experience at midfield teams like Force India and his ability to score points consistently made him appealing.

“I’ve pushed teams forward race by race,” Perez said, hinting at his interest in a project like Cadillac. However, Lowdon hesitated. Perez’s high-profile exit from Red Bull and rumors of talks with Alpine suggested he might command a hefty salary or seek a more established team. Plus, pairing two veterans like Perez and Bottas could limit the team’s long-term growth, and Lowdon wanted a younger driver to nurture.

Other candidates, like Zhou Guanyu and Mick Schumacher, were briefly considered but deemed less ideal.

Zhou, a Ferrari reserve and Lowdon’s former client, had shown resilience at Sauber, scoring their only points in 2024. However, his limited F1 success and lack of standout pace made him a lower priority.

Schumacher, despite his WEC progress, hadn’t raced in F1 since 2022, and his stock had faded.

Lowdon also eyed F2 talents like Jak Crawford and Alex Dunne, but their lack of F1 experience and superlicense uncertainties make them riskier for a debut season.

Our Prediction

After weeks of debate, Lowdon and his team will make their choice.

We believe Valtteri Bottas will lead the lineup, bringing the experience needed to guide Cadillac through the challenges of a new team and new regulations.

For the second seat, they will take a bold step with Colton Herta, banking on him securing a superlicense by season’s end. CEO of TWG Motorsports and majority owner of Andretti Global, Dan Towriss, has a strong affinity for Colton Herta.

Their connection goes beyond the track. Towriss entered motorsports through a sponsorship deal with Andretti in 2016, initially via Zach Veach, but his role expanded significantly with Herta. As CEO of Group 1001, Towriss facilitated a multi-year contract extension for Herta through 2027, making him one of IndyCar’s highest-paid drivers.

He admires Herta’s focus and commitment, particularly praising his reluctance to dwell on F1 speculation while chasing an IndyCar title. When Herta expressed hesitation about a potential F1 move, emphasizing his loyalty to his IndyCar team, Towriss called it “exactly the answer I would want,” highlighting Herta’s dedication and presence in the moment.

For Towriss, Herta represents both a personal investment and a cornerstone for achieving ambitious goals, like an IndyCar championship or a competitive F1 debut.

If Herta falls short, as it now appears he will, Felipe Drugovich or American F2 driver Jak Crawford will step in, offering a young, proven talent to balance the team.

The decision will reflect Cadillac’s dual goals: leverage Bottas’s expertise to hit the ground running while betting on a young star—ideally an American like Herta—to ignite fan interest and build for the future.

As Lowdon finalizes the plan, he likely looks out at the Indiana skyline, envisioning Cadillac’s cars charging down the Melbourne straight in March 2026, ready to carve their name into F1 history.