Cadillac sets no deadline to announce F1 drivers

Friday March 7, 2025, the Formula 1 has made official the arrival of Cadillac as the eleventh team on the grid starting next year. In 2026, Cadillac will become the first team to join the Formula 1 world championship since HaasIn 2016.

The countdown to be fully ready for the first Grand Prix of the 2026 season has thus definitely begun for the Detroit (Michigan) firm.

« In terms of preparation for the race, everything is going as planned., team principal Graeme Lowdon told F1.com. We don't just want to show up and compete, we want to be as competitive as possible. »

« From this point of view, we would certainly have liked to have more time and more people, because the more you have, the more performance you can generate. But we recognized that the process itself requires an enormous amount of energy and effort. »

« Regarding the production schedule, we are satisfied with the current situation. So far, we have spent a lot of time on numerous tests and validations of individual components. »

Already more than 200 employees at Cadillac F1 Team

Confirming a grid spot is not only the culmination of a lot of hard work, it is an important step for Cadillac in its preparation.

« There was a lot of work behind the scenes, Lowdon acknowledges. There is still a lot to do. We are in a much better position now that we are a full-fledged F1 team. We will have access to all the data and information that all the other teams have. »

« We can now really give our all to deliver the most competitive car possible. The team is already very strong, we are very comfortable with our position, in terms of preparation for the race in 2026. »

Under the leadership of TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss and Lowdon, the organization already has more than 200 employees, including former technical specialists from Renault, Nick Chester and Pat Symonds. Significant recruitment still needs to be carried out by the American manufacturer, with most of the teams on the grid employing more than 1 people.

« F1 is unique, so to have people [like Symonds and Chester] on board with deep knowledge and experience is great, Lowdon added. Many people on the team have worked together on other teams before. »

« One thing I'm already extremely proud of is the collective spirit that exists within the team. We've all gone through this long process together, but it's allowed us to really build a team that is very vision- and values-driven, to communicate those values ​​to everyone. »

« We also employ some very bright young people who have no experience in F1. Having experienced staff on board is helpful to be able to take these young people along. It's really great to have such a broad experience. »

For Lowdon, "recruiting on merit and having an American pilot" are compatible objectives.

In this recruitment process, Cadillac will also have to choose its drivers. There are still some very talented drivers, Lowdon said about it. We were not able to be present on the driver market before the registration was confirmed. Now that it is done, we can move forward. In terms of timing, we are not putting a deadline for driver announcements. »

Among the first names to circulate, that of the American Colton Herta comes back insistently. On the subject of the importance for Cadillac to have at least one American driver in its seat, Lowdon replied: " Of course, we will hire pilots based on merit. But we don't see why we shouldn't have American pilots eventually. »

« There's nothing stopping a driver from being selected on merit and being American. That's something a lot of fans would really like to see as well. »

« Ultimately, Cadillac Formula 1 is based in the United States. We have a subsidiary in the UK, but it's headquartered in the United States and it's also an American team. »

« Recruiting on merit and having an American driver are completely compatible objectives for the team. " concludes Lowdon.

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