Formula 1‘s 11th team on the grid, Cadillac, has decided against signing an American driver in favour of an experienced duo for its debut season in 2026.
The General Motors-backed project has finally revealed the team’s driver line-up for its maiden F1 season, consisting of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.
That said, while both these drivers will undoubtedly bring proven Grand Prix-winning experience to the team, many have been surprised by the team’s decision not to promote a ‘homegrown’ American talent up the ranks of the pinnacle of single-seater, open-wheel motorsport.
Many names had been linked to Cadillac in the build-up to its eventual announcement. The team also had the option to relocate some of the biggest names across the pond, in IndyCar, such as Colton Herta, but eventually opted against it.
In Herta’s case, however, the incumbent FIA Super License rules might have dissuaded the team – which turned out to be the reason why he did not land a seat with Racing Bulls back in 2023 as well.
One name that was strongly linked to the American outfit was that of Jak Crawford. Crawford currently sits second in the Formula 2 championship with DAMS and seemed like the perfect fit if the team wanted to build its driver line-up around an American ‘racing prodigy’.
“We’re trying to find any space on the grid, whether it’s with Cadillac or Aston Martin or some other teams,” Crawford had told Motorsport.com about rumours linking him to a race seat with the team next year.
But with the team’s decision to sign up the duo of Perez and Bottas, who share 16 Grand Prix wins between them, it would appear that the team has chosen to rely on experience over potential.
The 2026 regulations reset will give a clean slate to all the teams across the paddock, but Cadillac wants to avoid a scenario where it is hindered from developing because an inexperienced driver is not able to deliver the feedback or the results it requires.
The same logic seems to apply to drivers who have shown their calibre in IndyCar. While the single-seater formula might bring about some familiarity, the power unit regulations and inherent characteristics of F1 might push these drivers towards the same fate as envisaged for Crawford.
The team’s CEO, Dan Towriss, outlined the reasons why the team chose to overlook an American driver, while being adamant that this does not mean that particular door is shut forever.
“We certainly do think about it,” he revealed.
“It’s important to us to make sure there’s a pathway for an American driver into Formula One.
“We’ll be working on that. But I think for this inaugural season, for what the team needs, and again, really with what these drivers [Perez and Bottas] bring, this was the right combination.”
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