MAY 19, 2025

Nascar star linked with Cadillac F1 seat

Another name can be added to the growing list of candidates for Cadillac's two new Formula 1 race seats in 2026.

Already strongly linked with the American outfit, strongly backed by General Motors, are established F1 names Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou, and Mick Schumacher.

Earlier, the clear idea was that Cadillac would likely pair American Indycar star Colton Herta - despite not yet having an F1 super license - with an experienced F1 driver.

There's a lot of interest in this team and we're very appreciative of that, Dan Towriss, a key figure at the team, told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

He doesn't hide the desire to centre the team around an American driver, but acknowledges that a different approach might be needed initially.

We want that person set up for success, and want that seat respected when that American driver does come in for the team, said Towriss.

We'll find the right way and the right time to bring the right driver into Formula 1.

A growing feeling in the paddock is that Cadillac's strategy might be to leave Herta, 25, in Indycar for now, and instead pique the interest of the American market in another way.

Mexican Pato O'Ward, for example, is another Indycar star constantly linked with F1. When asked about the Cadillac rumours, McLaren CEO Zak Brown - who runs O'Ward in the brand's Indycar team with a firm contract - did not deny the link.

I wouldn't like it, Brown said, but I wouldn't stop him.

Yet another name to add to the mix is Nascar driver Kyle Larson - who according to the aforementioned newspaper is often compared in terms of talent to Max Verstappen.

When the Associated Press asked General Motors president Mark Reuss about Larson, he answered: Let's focus on Indianapolis first.

Indeed, 32-year-old Larson is contesting the Indy 500 for the second time this year - also for McLaren.

Finally, Reuss denied that Donald Trump's controversial tariff regime will affect the Cadillac F1 project. There's about $5 billion of impact for us, he said. But it's not going to affect this (F1) project.

(GMM)