Cadillac F1 could have recruited young and ambitious drivers, but it opted to sign two veterans instead.

      Cadillac F1

      The most significant automotive news and reviews, without the fluff

      Subscribe to our free daily newsletter for essential stories delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

      Formula 1 made its return to the Netherlands after an extended summer break, gearing up for one of the year's premier events: the Italian Grand Prix. The season kicked off again with 72 laps highlighting Ferrari’s typical misfortunes, Isack Hadjar’s impressive rookie podium finish, and an increasingly competitive title race, while the focus remained on the future.

      The key narrative shaping the rest of the season is Cadillac’s entry into F1 in 2026.

      When the sport’s governing body officially awarded Cadillac and General Motors a spot on the F1 grid in March, varying opinions emerged regarding the implications of adding an eleventh team and two new drivers to a series known for its exclusivity.

      Some viewed this as a chance to create a pathway from American motorsports to the European premier circuits—a journey that has traditionally been hindered by insufficient infrastructure, funding, and regulations necessary for a transition abroad. Others considered it a resolution to the sport’s escalating issue of driver/seat availability.

      “There’s no reason an American driver can’t be selected based on merit—I believe that's something fans want to see,” remarked Cadillac F1 team principal Graeme Lowdon to The Drive back in March. “I see no reason why that can't occur. It’s gotta be on merit. We have work to do here.”

      However, Cadillac’s driver announcement on August 26 indicates that the team envisions the future of these additional grid positions differently—at least during its inaugural and second years. Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, both former F1 drivers, will be making a comeback to the sport next season.

      Hiring two well-known drivers with a combined 26 years of experience is a tactical and smart choice for a new team. Each driver also brings their personal brand of marketability. Perez is pivotal for attracting Latin America’s expanding fan base. In Mexico City, Austin, and Miami, Red Bull caps marked with a No. 11 are prevalent in the stands. Bottas has cultivated a reputation as an entertainer in F1: featuring in commercials, turning his signature blonde mullet and mustache into both a meme and a marketing asset, and launching partnerships along with a nude calendar as an entrepreneurial venture.

      From a financial standpoint, both drivers make sense in the near term. But how about the long run? Cadillac's choice seems like a missed opportunity.

      When speculation began that an American automotive heavyweight was vying for a position in top-tier motorsport, many naturally thought of IndyCar’s leading drivers. Colton Herta's name was most prominently mentioned, and Pato O’Ward also received attention before he dismissed the unsubstantiated claims, telling ESPN Mexico, “The rumors about me going to Cadillac were like the rumors about Fernando Alonso dating Taylor Swift."

      However, the FIA’s Super License system—which awards credentials and points from junior racing categories required to compete in F1—does not equitably reward competitive non-FIA racing series such as IndyCar compared to Formula 2 and Formula 3. Shortly after the F1 team's driver announcement, reports emerged that Herta—despite his 25 years and seven years of IndyCar experience—might join the F2 championship in 2026 to accrue enough points to eventually drive for Cadillac in F1. Just five days later, Herta was confirmed as Cadillac’s reserve driver for 2026. He will not participate in IndyCar next year and will instead aim to carve a slow path into F1.

      The American motorsport route to F1—or the lack thereof—is just one piece of a more extensive issue within racing: an excess of talented young drivers but a shortage of seats. Those unable to break into F1, whether due to financial constraints or a scarcity of available spots, are shifting to other series like Super Formula and IndyCar, though the majority are pursuing sports car racing. [Ed. note: enhancing the competitiveness and entertainment value of those series.] The influx of rookies for the 2025 season provided a rare boost of youth to F1 after a prolonged period without shake-ups in driver line-ups. Last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix reinforced the argument for more rookies, as Hadjar’s podium and Kimi Antonelli’s incident with Charles Leclerc provided two of the most thrilling moments in the race.

      Cadillac’s entry could have signified more opportunities to nurture the next generation of stars in an increasingly constrained motorsport landscape. Instead, the team opted for a pair of drivers who have already had sufficient time to make their mark.

      Bottas’ five-year tenure at Mercedes featured standout moments, a flurry of podium finishes, and several victories as Lewis Hamilton’s No. 2. Similarly, Perez functioned as one of the few teammates able to match Max Verstappen’s performance. Yet both drivers were assessed against