F1 driver market flickers into life as Cadillac narrow down shortlist for 2026
Cadillac have identified seven drivers as potential candidates to lead them on track in their debut Formula 1 season. Next year, the American outfit will become the first fresh constructor to join the grid since Haas made their entrance back in 2016.
The team is supported by a collaboration with TWG Motorsport and Andretti Global. As well as getting the outfit into shape ahead of its debut, team principal Graeme Lowdon is now working to cement his driver pairing for the upcoming campaign, with several racers' futures currently uncertain.
Seven prospects, including some not presently competing in F1, have made it onto Lowdon's shortlist. He made as much clear during an appearance on the High Performance podcast, during which he openly discussed some of the names under consideration at Cadillac.
Acknowledging he was contemplating handing Mick Schumacher a way back onto the F1 grid, he stated: "Yeah, we are talking to Mick." The German is hunting his first F1 race seat since 2022 when he was axed by Haas and their then-team principal Guenther Steiner.
Lowdon is also eyeing Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, who rejoined the Silver Arrows as a reserve this year. He additionally disclosed that discussions are ongoing with Max Verstappen's former Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, who has been less vocal about his plans and worked in the background to secure his return to the F1 grid.
Nevertheless, the 60-year-old isn't solely focusing on seasoned competitors. He confirmed that former Formula 2 racers Felipe Drugovich and Frederik Vesti are in the running, while he also name-checked Red Bull academy driver Arvid Lindblad before conceding that it would be very difficult to pry the Brit away from their grasp.
Cadillac have made it clear from the beginning that they would love to field an American driver if possible, and are still contemplating a move for IndyCar racer Colton Herta. The American took part in a two-day trial with the McLaren F1 squad in 2022, and currently races for Andretti Global with Curb Agajanian.
However, he does not currently have enough points for an FIA superlicence which is required for anyone to race in F1. Currently eighth in the IndyCar standings, that finish this season would not be high enough for Herta to gain the points he needs to reach the threshold of 40.
Lowdon has made a commitment to consider only those who prioritise the team over personal ambitions. He said: "Our team is there to provide a position on the pitch, for someone to prove what they can do for sure. But it's not a vehicle to kind of show the world to prove a point or whatever.
"Drivers are there to prove the best they possibly can for the team, and they should be motivated for the team around them as well. I'm less keen on people who kind of want to prove a personal point."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
4 minutes ago
- Metro
Emma Raducanu makes worrying comment ahead of Washington Open semi-final clash
Emma Raducanu has made a worrying admission ahead of her semi-final clash against Anna Kalinskaya at the Washington Open on Saturday. The British tennis star has reached the last four at a WTA Tour event for the first time this year and has been in brilliant form at the American tournament. Raducanu stunned seventh-seed Marta Kostyuk before knocking out four-time major champion Naomi Osaka and former world No.3 Maria Sakkari. Next up is a showdown with Russia's Kalinskaya – and ahead of that match – Raducanu admits she is 'really struggling' with the heat in Washington. Temperatures reached 36 degrees during Raducanu's 6-4 7-5 win over Sakkari on Friday, with the Briton saying the conditions felt like 'you have just opened an oven and it just stayed open and your head is in there'. Raducanu, looking to reach her first WTA Tour final since winning the US Open four years ago, said in her press conference: 'I would like to say I'm pretty good in the heat, for the most part, but I was really struggling today. 'It was one of the toughest matches conditions-wise I have ever played in. Those points in the second set, I was getting a bit wobbly. I'm just happy I could close it out and it was two sets.' Raducanu had her vitals checked in a medical timeout late into the second set during her win over Sakkari. The 22-year-old had only just broken Sakkari's serve when the doctor was called onto the court. 'It was brutal today,' Raducanu added. 'Thank you to everyone for coming out and sitting through the heat. 'It's incredibly difficult playing, but actually, when I've sat and watched matches, in the heat when you're not moving, it's even harder. 'It's for sure physical, because if you don't have the abilities then your body will fail you. But at a certain point, it then becomes mental. 'I knew after the first or second game, it was such a long match, the first set was over an hour. 'It is mental and you just have to enjoy suffering as bad as that sounds, you just know you have to leave it all out on the court until you probably drop. More Trending 'I'm not feeling the best right now, so I just need to go and speak to the doctors.' The two players are set to lock horns around 9pm UK time today (Saturday, July 26) with the clash being shown live on Sky Sports Tennis. Sky Sports subscribers can also stream the match online via the Sky Sports website and app. MORE: Who's next for Oleksandr Usyk? Joseph Parker could get his shot but a third fight with Tyson Fury cannot be ruled out MORE: 'I'm sorry?' – Cameron Norrie surprised by 'disgusting' Emma Raducanu question during Wimbledon press conference MORE: Wimbledon respond to Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper complaints over key change
Leader Live
7 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Life after Christian Horner begins with sprint win for Max Verstappen
Eighteen days after Horner was told his two-decade reign was over, Verstappen claimed the Red Bull's first win of any sort since he raced to victory in Imola on May 18. Verstappen started second, but batted aside pole-sitter Oscar Piastri on the opening lap before keeping the world championship leader at bay. Verstappen crossed the line in Spa-Francorchamps just 0.753 seconds clear of Piastri. Lando Norris started third and finished in the same position to allow Piastri to extend his title lead from eight points to nine ahead of qualifying later today for Sunday's main event. Horner's dramatic exit from Red Bull after 20 years in charge stunned the sporting world, and the Belgian Grand Prix marks the first F1 event in 406 races where he has been watching on from his sofa rather than from the Red Bull pit wall. Verstappen split the McLaren drivers in qualifying to join Piastri on the front row. Piastri started well to keep Verstappen behind on the short run to La Source only for the Dutchman – armed with a low-downforce rear wing to provide greater speed up through Eau Rouge and on to the Kemmel Straight – to jink to his left and sail past Piastri under braking for Les Combes. Further back and Norris – a distant six tenths behind Piastri in qualifying – was perhaps too timid on his brakes into the same corner, and lost out to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, relegating him to fourth. On lap four, Norris cleared Leclerc to regain third spot, and by lap 10 he was within half-a-second of team-mate Piastri – the top three covered by a little more than a second. With four laps to go, Piastri was closer than he had ever been and Verstappen was forced to cover off the racing line under braking for Les Combes. However, that would be the closest Piastri would get to the Red Bull as the four-time world champion delivered Laurent Mekies' first win in charge of Red Bull with Norris only six tenths back from his McLaren team-mate. 'Well done Max,' said Mekies. 'Very, very impressive defence, and very well controlled. You didn't leave anything on the table there.' Verstappen said: 'It worked out really well. The only opportunity was the first lap and we got them. We were playing cat and mouse and I could not afford to make a mistake. 'You are keeping faster cars behind so you have to drive beyond your limit and replicate 15 qualifying laps. It was not easy but we managed to do it. 'The team can count on me that I will give my very best whoever is in charge. They know that. And that is what they pay me for. It is positive. We need positive energy, and this is a great start for us.' Norris said: 'I was not going to pass anyone unless Oscar got past Max. There was not a lot we could do today. A winning start for Laurent Mekies! 💪#F1Sprint #BelgianGP @redbullracing — Formula 1 (@F1) July 26, 2025 'It was tough. I hoped to have a battle, but the Red Bull was too quick in the straight for us to catch up. Maybe we need to make some tweaks to qualifying. I am not too fussed about sprint races and the plan is to win the Grand Prix.' Leclerc took fourth spot, one place ahead of Haas' Esteban Ocon with Williams driver Carlos Sainz sixth and British rookie Ollie Bearman an impressive seventh. George Russell started a lowly 13th and improved one place to 12th, while Lewis Hamilton finished 15th of the 19 who took the flag – making up just three positions after he spun in qualifying.
The Herald Scotland
33 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Life after Christian Horner begins with sprint win for Max Verstappen
Verstappen started second, but batted aside pole-sitter Oscar Piastri on the opening lap before keeping the world championship leader at bay. Oscar Piastri was edged out (Bradley Collyer/PA) Verstappen crossed the line in Spa-Francorchamps just 0.753 seconds clear of Piastri. Lando Norris started third and finished in the same position to allow Piastri to extend his title lead from eight points to nine ahead of qualifying later today for Sunday's main event. Horner's dramatic exit from Red Bull after 20 years in charge stunned the sporting world, and the Belgian Grand Prix marks the first F1 event in 406 races where he has been watching on from his sofa rather than from the Red Bull pit wall. Verstappen split the McLaren drivers in qualifying to join Piastri on the front row. Piastri started well to keep Verstappen behind on the short run to La Source only for the Dutchman – armed with a low-downforce rear wing to provide greater speed up through Eau Rouge and on to the Kemmel Straight – to jink to his left and sail past Piastri under braking for Les Combes. Further back and Norris – a distant six tenths behind Piastri in qualifying – was perhaps too timid on his brakes into the same corner, and lost out to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, relegating him to fourth. On lap four, Norris cleared Leclerc to regain third spot, and by lap 10 he was within half-a-second of team-mate Piastri – the top three covered by a little more than a second. With four laps to go, Piastri was closer than he had ever been and Verstappen was forced to cover off the racing line under braking for Les Combes. It was Verstappen's first race without Christian Horner (Bradley Collyer/PA) However, that would be the closest Piastri would get to the Red Bull as the four-time world champion delivered Laurent Mekies' first win in charge of Red Bull with Norris only six tenths back from his McLaren team-mate. 'Well done Max,' said Mekies. 'Very, very impressive defence, and very well controlled. You didn't leave anything on the table there.' Verstappen said: 'It worked out really well. The only opportunity was the first lap and we got them. We were playing cat and mouse and I could not afford to make a mistake. 'You are keeping faster cars behind so you have to drive beyond your limit and replicate 15 qualifying laps. It was not easy but we managed to do it. 'The team can count on me that I will give my very best whoever is in charge. They know that. And that is what they pay me for. It is positive. We need positive energy, and this is a great start for us.' Norris said: 'I was not going to pass anyone unless Oscar got past Max. There was not a lot we could do today. 'It was tough. I hoped to have a battle, but the Red Bull was too quick in the straight for us to catch up. Maybe we need to make some tweaks to qualifying. I am not too fussed about sprint races and the plan is to win the Grand Prix.' Leclerc took fourth spot, one place ahead of Haas' Esteban Ocon with Williams driver Carlos Sainz sixth and British rookie Ollie Bearman an impressive seventh. George Russell started a lowly 13th and improved one place to 12th, while Lewis Hamilton finished 15th of the 19 who took the flag – making up just three positions after he spun in qualifying.
