Cadillac Will Target an American Driver for Formula 1 Debut in 2026, Confirms Team Director and Ex-F1 World Champion Mario Andretti

It has already been confirmed that General Motors-owned brand Cadillac will be entering Formula 1 in the 2026 season. What has been less clear is who exactly the two drivers will be for the new team. 

The American outfit have yet to announce a single driver for their team and as a result, a number of notable names have been linked to the side. 

The likes of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, experienced drivers with race-winning pedigree, have been linked. Raw talent like Mick Schumacher and Colton Herta have also been rumoured. 

But there was a rumour that the team would want at least one American driver and that has been confirmed by the new team's director. 

American Preference for American Team

Mario Andretti, who is a former F1 world champion and who also serves as a director in the team, said they must look to cash in on the popularity of the sport in the US markets by looking for an American driver. 

“Since we haven’t had a lot of participation as of late in Formula 1, I think to have a vehicle, to have a team to really truly consider American, I think that the idea of trying to look at bringing some talent from here is for real,” Andretti told FOX.

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It is worth noting that there isn't a single American racer on the grid as of now and that is something Andretti is keen to change. 

"The fact that we have three races here — why not have the opportunity to cultivate and have some of the US fans root for American drivers at one point?"

Who Could That Driver Be? 

But the identity of that American driver remains unclear at this point. The last American to race in F1 was Logan Sargeant, and his performances were so poor he was dropped mid-season by Williams in 2024. 

The aforementioned Colton Herta could be an option but he will need to get a few superlicense points to be eligible for F1. 

Beyond that, there are few options worth considering - and that is something Cadillac will hope to change in the future.