“Our ambitions are unlimited”: Cadillac arrives in F1 to make a big impact

There will be 22 of them next year, at the start of the first Grand Prix of the year. Cadillac will arrive as the eleventh team on the grid, adding two more drivers to the twenty already present in Formula 1The arrival of the American manufacturer will above all bring the fame linked to an emblematic brand of the global automobile industry. In addition to Mercedes, Aston Martin, Alpine, Ferrari, McLaren and Audi, a new big name will join the premier class of motorsport after having already committed to WEC, where the Americans will be among the contenders for the final victory at Le Mans next June. In Formula 1, Cadillac will not lack ambition either, as Graeme Lowdon, future team director, explains in an interview with AFP.

"We already have just over 300 people working on the project right now […] and we're growing every day. These 300 people were committed even before we officially entered the grid. " explains the former boss of Marussia, while Cadillac officially received confirmation of its entry into Formula 1 at the beginning of March. “Now we have to continue building ourselves […] Right now it’s all about recruiting. We’re building a high-performing team, we want this to be the best place to work in Formula 1 and we sincerely believe we can achieve that […] We’re going to build our first ever Formula 1 Cadillac and we’re going to compete with people who have built, in some cases, hundreds of cars. How can we compete? We can’t be arrogant and say we have a database and experience base, because we don’t. That’s why we’re focusing on people first.”

Cadillac targets 2026

In search of the right people to embody their project, Cadillac's directors have already found those who will supply them with an engine from 2026: it will be Ferrari, which has committed to powering Cadillac single-seaters in addition to those of the other American team on the grid, HaasWith the power unit from Maranello, the General Motors group firm will be well off, but to see it play a leading role it will probably have to be a non-starter.

"We have not set any specific ambitions [for 2026]. assures Graeme Lowdon. In terms of the car's performance, it's something very difficult to say because it also depends on the other teams. We don't know how competitive they will be […] The challenge is so much bigger than that of all our other competitors. But we have very good support and have great people on board. Our ambitions are truly limitless. And they have to be […] But we also have to be realistic, Formula 1 is a tough sport. So no targets, we have to give the best of ourselves."

The question of drivers also remains to be decided. Several names have been repeatedly mentioned in recent weeks, particularly among the former Formula 1 players: Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez or Mick Schumacher. Among the promising youngsters, some could also find in the arrival of Cadillac a unique opportunity to have a seat in F1. Liam Lawson, if his early departure from Red Bull is confirmed, he could bounce back there, like Felipe Drugovich, who drives a Cadillac in Endurance, or Theo Pourchaire, to recite nobody else but them. " A lot ! exclaims Lowdon, when asked about the number of drivers on his list of candidates. I don't want to name names […] we want to recruit very, very good people. We recruit drivers on merit. And we simply want the best." he continues. A way to sweep away the idea that Cadillac will necessarily have an American? "As I said, we will hire on merit. And there's nothing stopping American pilots from being really good, and there are some very good ones."

Among them, Colton Herta is the favorite. The American, who rides for Andretti in IndyCar, had already been very close to signing with Alpha Tauri for 2023 before Nyck de Vries be preferred to him. His second chance could soon arrive… But with whom at his side?

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