George Russell has confirmed that Mercedes’ Formula 1 reserve driver Frederik Vesti is eyeing a seat with Cadillac for the 2027 season.
The Dane made his third FP1 outing of the year for the Silver Arrows on Friday afternoon, ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
Vesti was, for the first time, taking seat of Russell, having deputised for Andrea Kimi Antonelli in Barcelona and Hungary, and impressed with P3 in the session, less than a tenth of a second off the Italian title-leader.
The 24-year-old has links to Cadillac, having been signed for its #31 car alongside Earl Bamber and Jack Aitken in the IMSA series in a full-time capacity for next year.
Its F1 squad, on the other hand, is at the centre of ongoing speculation as to whether Valtteri Bottas will remain with the Silverstone-based outfit for 2027.
Third driver Colton Herta made another FP1 appearance himself, for Cadillac, in Mexico, and is hotly rumoured to be in the frame for the seat, should it decide to part ways with Bottas.
The American is now just one point short of gaining an FIA super licence, which would qualify him for an F1 race seat.
But Vesti, speaking as a guest commentator for FP2 with Sky Sports F1, revealed that he is competing for the Finn’s seat, too.
“There’s no doubt I’ve got my eyes on that seat and it would be such a privilege to step into it,” he said.
Vesti ‘deserves his chance’, claims George Russell
Speaking in the post-FP2 media pen at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguiez circuit, Russell, when asked for his thoughts on Vesti’s performance in, reiterated his claim.
“Yeah, he did a really good job. I know he’s really fighting hard to be able to be shot intentionally off the Cadillac seat,” he said.
Russell added that his work within the Brackley-based squad his hugely appreciated and was keen for him to have a chance to prove his worth for a race seat, albeit with a rival team.
“I think he deserves his chance,” the Brit continued. “He’s put a lot of effort in working with our team. We all respect him very highly.
“Most F1 sessions that he’s done, he’s had the brunt of the work and not really getting the performance runs in. So I think it was important for us as a team.
“I said to the team [that] I want to ensure that he gets an opportunity to show what he can do. That’s the least that we can do. So we’ll give our best.”
In response to both Vesti and Russell’s comments, a Cadillac spokesperson told Motorsport Week: “There is a lot of drivers being linked to the CF1 project which is a testament to the progress of the team and its bold ambition.
“This week is all about Checo – his home race, show run and 300th GP. We don’t have anything else to announce at this time.”
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