Lowdon: Cadillac could sign an American F1 driver – but only on merit

Cadillac group principal Graeme Lowdon has said that the incoming Formulation 1 squad will choose its first driver line-up on benefit – and that it may nonetheless comprise an American.

F1 and the FIA formally approved the entry of General Motors on Friday that means its Cadillac model will change into the grid’s eleventh group from 2026.

However preparations have lengthy been underneath option to get the group in form for its debut, but no official conversations with potential drivers may happen till the ratification final week.

There are a number of drivers presently with out race seats in F1 who’ve been linked to Cadillac, whereas the prospect of the US squad hiring a homegrown racer has additionally been mooted.

“We positively choose on benefit,” stated Lowdon. “Formulation 1, it isn’t a playground, that is the top of world motorsport.

“I believe by way of timing, it is sort of a bit bit odd as a result of we’re out of sync with the opposite groups, we weren’t within the driver market through the pretty important final spherical, so sure drivers are tied up for sure durations.

“Fortunately for us, there are numerous good drivers on the market, sadly, we have not been capable of be within the driver market till the entry was confirmed.

“It is vital for us to speak to quite a few potential candidates. Can we see very proficient drivers who presently aren’t on the grid? Sure, we do.

“We’re going to be fairly busy speaking to some individuals, my telephone’s actually been busy. What’s a bit bit troublesome due to the state of affairs that we’re in as a brand new group, the timeline is not as laid out because it usually is. It is usually fairly clear for all of us concerned within the driver negotiations.

“However there are simply half a dozen, if no more candidates on the market who provide extraordinarily good credentials to be in Formulation 1 or to be in Formulation 1 once more.”

The likes of Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu misplaced their seats in F1 on the finish of final season and would carry expertise to the Cadillac mission. Zhou particularly is a reputation of word given Lowdon makes up a part of the Ferrari reserve driver’s administration group.

“It is a bit bit too early to go an excessive amount of into any element, as a result of it is solely now that we’re capable of have significant conversations,” added Lowdon. “However for positive, we wish to have drivers that may contribute to the general programme.

Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Staff Kick Sauber, with Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Staff Kick Sauber

Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs

“I believe Zhou’s executed an exceptionally good job underneath troublesome circumstances and what makes it fairly helpful for me is he would not essentially want to clarify the background of his talents as a result of I’ve had a entrance row seat to see all that, in order that’s a profit.

“There’s the right checks and balances in place, so there isn’t any favouritism in any explicit route in the direction of him or every other driver that we might have involvement with on the grid.

“We’re there to do a job, so we’ll choose drivers on benefit. There are some actually good ones on the market, Zhou included.”

Whereas loads of names have been bandied round, the thought of recruiting an American driver is one that won’t go away. Regardless of a dearth of US F1 drivers in latest instances, Lowdon didn’t rule out signing one for the 2026 season.

“The plain query is whether or not we’ll have American drivers and personally, I see no purpose why an American driver cannot be chosen on benefit as effectively,” he stated.

“It is actually one thing that the followers want to see, and I see no purpose why that may’t occur. However the overriding goal is benefit. We have a job to do right here.

“I do not see any explicit drawback. I do not envisage any explicit drawback on that entrance and as I stated earlier than, driver choice will certainly be on benefit. What I am attempting to stress is simply because somebody’s American does not imply that they cannot be a very good Formulation 1 driver.”

Colton Herta, Andretti World w/ Curb-Agajanian Honda

Picture by: Geoffrey M. Miller / Motorsport Photographs

One such driver linked with a seat is IndyCar’s Colton Herta at Andretti World, which has been concerned with the Normal Motors F1 entry.

However the issue for the 24-year-old is that he presently doesn’t have sufficient factors on his superlicence to compete in F1.

“With regard to Colton, so he would not have the required variety of superlicence factors and if that have been to stay the case, then that is clearly an obstacle for him,” stated Lowdon.

“We won’t select a driver that does not have the factors, that’s simply the true world that we dwell in and we simply need to take that into consideration.

“Does his lack of reaching or the shortage of being on the threshold for the superlicence in any approach have an effect on his potential to drive a race automotive? No.

“He is extremely proficient, so it isn’t shock information that we’d be trying to Colton alongside an entire bunch of different drivers as effectively.

“He isn’t the one one truly in that state of affairs and he will not be the primary, he will not be the final driver the place there’s some uncertainty attributable to superlicence factors, however we simply need to dwell with that. That is a regulation. We simply need to respect it.”