“Formula 1 is a global sport, but without a doubt, this is an American team and will compete under the American flag. ”
These are the words of Graeme Loudon, the principal of the Cadillac Formula 1 team in March, and the much-anticipated 11th entry was finally approved, allowing the latest team on the grid to speak for sure.
That’s an identity that Cadillac is extremely proud of, but it’s also very realistic about the challenges they face to compete with established, high-performance F1 teams as quickly as possible.
Experience has been acquired for some of the key personnel within the team. Above Lodon is executive engineering consultant Pat Simmons, Chief Operations Officer Rob White, and technical director Nick Chester.
With Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, Cadillac has secured a lineup that boasts a 527 Grand Prix start and 16 wins. At the time of writing, only Ferrari (531 start, 113 wins) and Aston Martin (594 start, 32 wins) can be argued that they have a higher total in both categories, while only Red Bull (65 wins) and McLaren (17 wins) can be added to the list in terms of race wins between drivers.
However, as an American team, the other IndyCar names didn’t win because Colton Hertha’s immediate opportunity had disappeared without a guaranteed super license.
“In Colton’s case,rise lCompaniesexplains Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports and the Cadillac Formula One Team.
“Despite the amount of experience we have in our team, everyone is new and everyone is working together for the first time. So I think the experience these two drivers bring is really the most important thing.
“We certainly think, and it’s important that American drivers have a path to Formula 1. But we’re working on that. But this was the right combination for our team because of what the team needs and what these drivers actually bring.”
The Cadillac F1 entry configuration with both TWG and GM backing provides many links to North American motorsports. In addition to IndyCar, there is an IMSA and NASCAR Association and WEC programme so you don’t run out of driver knowledge. GM President Mark Royce implies that among the people currently available, Bottas and Perez acknowledge that the team’s early years stand out to set the right path.
“The podium and victory experience between these two drivers is very important to us because we know that in new vehicle development, especially motorsports, we know that we know first hand the relationship (the importance of importance) between the driver and the technical team and the engineer,” says Reuss.
Perez brings experience with considerable motivation to prove he still has an unfinished business in Formula 1. Mark Thompson/Getty Images
“We have tools and people who have taken part in developing these vehicles, using all the tools that have invested heavily between TWG and General Motors.
“So, that’s a very important part of this and I think the driver feedback experienced in the development of the vehicle itself is a landmark in the Cadillac history book as we enter into a big stage of Formula 1 that we’ve never been to, obviously and as a complete work team.
“Commitment, investment, people’s resources and now drivers are a really good winning combination. So I feel very good about what I’m trying to do here when I enter the grid in 2026.”
There is a big difference between the world of F1 and IndyCar, but what I couldn’t raise as a question from Cadillac’s point of view was the ability of the American drivers currently at IndyCar to handle the switch. This was the case in the current situation that did not offer an American option that could bring about performance levels that would guarantee a higher performance level for highly experienced Botta and Perez.
“I think the cultures are certainly different because internationally we might expect them compared to North America/US and IndyCar,” says Reuss. “But nonetheless, what I mentioned before is actually carrying the day.
“I think the technical development of the team and cars and powertrains is the powertrain with the experienced people who have done these trucks. You can simulate and use the tools up to that point, but you’ll be very human in terms of your ability to extend the limits of their abilities with a car you’re confident in.
“And the technical back and forth between teams and drivers is extremely important, especially when looking at the experience they have and the record of victory they have.”
Away from the name IndyCar, Jak Crawford offers an American option that is locked up in a super license and has ties to Aston Martin, who is exposed to the 2026 rules of Formula 1, but he has not yet started racing. And like Crawford, Botas, available late last year, has regularly kept him in the paddock this year as he is exposed to new cars through his Mercedes role.
Perez was another issue, losing Red Bull Drive at the end of 2024 and was not signed elsewhere. However, Cadillac was sure the 35-year-old could rediscover his best form this year, seeing the second driver’s struggle alongside Max Verstappen, especially after a meeting where he answered questions related to Perez’s motivations.
Towriss argues that it is a tough call among multiple drivers “it’s hard to say no” regardless of nationality, but the preferred pairing has become clear after a multi-voiced process within the Cadillac setup.
“There was really a series of meetings within the team. Graeme was bringing together a group of advisors, including people like Pat Simmons and others on the team.
“And it wasn’t really a specific meeting because over time things started to come to unanimous decisions from that perspective.
“Mark and I held many meetings. We were really talking about Mark’s experience with drivers, GM’s history at Motorsports. I was incredibly valuable. It’s not just how General Motors sees drivers for each program in multiple series, and how Formula 1 historically sees it.
“So, we started distilling that choice and what that choice looked like, so it was very interesting to put together all that information and perspective.
“And I think ultimately the final decision came down to a conversation between Mark and me. We took the information we provided and the suggested recommendations we put a little more pressure tested on them. I think we both walked away again.
From an American driver’s perspective, we may turn our attention to how Cadillac can be prepared to put him in a better position to step into one of the race seats in future seasons. However, in 2026, the opportunity to sign not just one but two experienced race-acquired players proved too attractive to refuse.
