Cadillac aren’t tiptoeing into Formula 1 — they’re storming the gates with the swagger of a brand that’s been building land yachts for a century and now wants to go wheel-to-wheel with McLaren and Ferrari. Officially on the grid for 2026, the team is already making headlines before they’ve even bolted a wheel to tarmac.
The Driver Carousel: Bottas, Pérez, and a Schumacher Whisper
The juiciest gossip? Cadillac’s first signing.
- Valtteri Bottas looks set to return as the cool, bearded veteran — the guy you hire when you want someone unflappable to develop a brand-new car. He’s inching closer to a deal, and honestly, it makes sense. Bottas knows how to grind through midfield hell.
- Sergio Pérez is also deep in talks. Cadillac love him for the experience and commercial power, but there’s already tension: rumor is Pérez doesn’t want to play second fiddle if Bottas signs first. Imagine starting your new F1 adventure with a civil war in the garage. Pure entertainment.
- Mick Schumacher? Yes, he’s still in the mix. A comeback three years in the making, with the Schumacher name adding shine to Cadillac’s brand-new identity. Even ex-Haas boss Günther Steiner — the man who once looked like he’d rather set himself on fire than run Mick again — has given his blessing.
And if that wasn’t enough, Cadillac are reportedly eyeing everyone from Zhou Guanyu to Felipe Drugovich, even tossing IndyCar’s Colton Herta into the rumor mill. Basically: they’re speed dating the entire paddock.
The NASA Playbook
Behind the scenes, Cadillac isn’t winging this. They’re running it like a space mission. Literally. Management has said they’re modeling their structure after Apollo-era NASA — clean hierarchies, open communication, obsessive detail. They’re splitting operations across Fishers (Indiana), Silverstone, Charlotte, and even Cologne’s wind tunnel.
Race Team Manager? Peter Crolla (ex-Haas). Technical heavyweights? Nick Chester and Pat Symonds are on board. This isn’t a vanity project; this is a brain trust.
The Big Picture
Cadillac aren’t pretending they’ll fight for wins in year one — but they’re building like they actually plan to stick around. In a sport littered with failed experiments (HRT, Caterham, USF1…), Cadillac are positioning themselves as the anti-flash-in-the-pan.
The driver choice will set the tone:
- Bottas + Pérez = stability, credibility, maybe a bit too safe.
- Bottas + Schumacher = experience and PR magic.
- Pérez + a rookie = fireworks and chaos.
Whatever happens, Cadillac are already louder than Haas have been all season — and they haven’t even turned a wheel yet.
Cadillac aren’t just joining Formula 1. They’re staging a takeover of its mythology: American money, European brains, NASA-inspired systems, and a driver lineup that could either be rock-solid or soap opera gold. Buckle up — this isn’t your grandad’s Cadillac.
