Cadillac has officially revealed its driver lineup strategy ahead of its F1 debut in 2026. The American luxury car brand, backed by General Motors and TWG Global, is set to become the sport’s 11th team, aiming to bolster Formula 1’s popularity in the United States while establishing itself as a competitive force on the grid.

Their approach to its inaugural driver lineup focuses on two key elements: securing an American driver and pairing them with an experienced Formula 1 veteran. 

According to Dan Towriss, Cadillac’s F1 boss, the team is eager to put an American driver in their seat, but they want to do it the proper way: “I think we would love to see an American driver in Formula 1, but we certainly want to make sure we do it the right way.

“I think it’s crucially important that that person is set up for success. It won’t be a process of just grabbing an American and sticking him behind the wheel. We want to do it proper, and so more to come on that.”

The F1 doesn’t currently have an American driver, and this could pose a challenge for the new team as Towriss understands that they need someone with experience to lead the team: “Certainly, I think an experienced driver is crucial for setting up a new team from that standpoint, so we’re definitely looking at bringing some experience to the driver tandem.

“There are a number of American drivers who have experience in the lower Formula series. So that’s not Formula 1, but there are drivers who know the tracks and have been in the lower Formula series and grew up there. So, we’ll work on that, and we’ll see what comes up.”

Cadillac’s position is quite clear. The decision to race an American driver should not come at the expense of performance. The ultimate move might be to get a much experienced driver from any nationality as their number one driver, with an American as the second. This will allow them to pose a better competition while fulfilling one of their early goals.