Written by Trisha Lynnette, Edited by Gabriel Tsui
Formula One recently announced the decision to allow the much-awaited 11th team to enter the grid, with Cadillac/GM set to make their foray into F1 in 2026.
In recent news, we found out that Formula One has permitted Cadillac to join the grid as the 11th F1 team in 2026. While the news came as a shock to many, all Formula One fans began to wonder: Who would drive for the team?
There many choices at hand, but let's look at the possible choices lined up for the brand new team.
Colton Herta
Colton Herta currently drives for Andretti Global in Indycar, and was the runner-up in the 2024 season.
Herta was previously eyed by Red Bull’s junior team - Visa Cash App RB Racing, but at the time he only had 32 super license points, while 40 are needed to be eligible in F1.
It is now rumoured that Cadillac is eyeing the American for one of the seats, and if Herta places a minimum of P4 in the Indycar 2025 Championship he will have 41 super license points and can apply for a super license in 2026.
While this will bring added pressure to Herta’s upcoming season, some believe that Herta will do well in IndyCar next year and finally debut in Formula One.
Jak Crawford
The American driver is set to return to DAMS Lucas Oil after signing an extension for the 2025 Formula 2 season.
He completed the 2024 season with a total of 125 points and fifth in the championship standings. The driver has had a consistent rise in trajectory, placing within the top 10 in most of his recent races.
The driver is currently signed with the Aston Martin’s Driver Development Programme, has tested the AMR22 and tested the AMR24 in the postseason tests at the Yas Marina Circuit.
He is the best American Prospect in feeder series for the team and can bring in the youthful perspective that Cadillac can utilise as a new team on the grid.
Felipe Drugovich
Felipe Drugovich is a Brazilian Racing driver who recently participated in the European Le Mans Series and is set to take part in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for AXR.
The 24-year-old has always been on the lookout for a seat in Formula One, especially after he won the 2022 Formula 2 championship with MP Motorsport.
Every driver would expect to move to Formula One after such a performance in the feeder series, however to his surprise he wasn’t able to acquire a seat.
While Drugovich remains in Aston Martin as a reserve driver, he would be a great choice for the GM/Cadillac seat as he is an experienced driver, who will be able to consistently bring points to the new team.
Valtteri Bottas
In recent news, Valtteri Bottas was let go from Sauber after driving for the team for three seasons, joining the team back in 2022 when it was still known as Alfa Romeo.
While Bottas has played a vital role in many teams such as Mercedes and the aforementioned Alfa Romeo, it is with no doubt that the driver yearns for more.
As we expect Cadillac to take an aggressive approach to their first season on the grid, Bottas would be a great driver for the team.
The veteran driver has seen it all, and his track knowledge is exactly what the team needs to have a bang-on debut season.
Kevin Magnussen
The Danish racing driver who debuted over ten years ago, has most recently driven for Haas in the 2024 F1 Championship. Sadly, Kevin Magnussen did not get a contract extension from the team, instead moving to the BMW hypercar squad in the World Endurance Championship.
With a new 11th team joining the grid in 2026, Magnussen is definitely keen on getting the seat.
In the 2024 championship, one of his highlights was the number of penalties he received, earning him a reputation across the grid. His manoeuvres and elbows-out approach has definitely helped the team in more ways than one.
While he is a driver with great experience, he also brings the competitive edge required in the sport, and may just be what Cadillac needs in order to be the ‘fierce’ new team on the grid.
Franco Colapinto
After the imminent departure of Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing replaced the American with Franco Colapinto. The Argentinian became an immediate fan favourite for his savvy interviews and on stage fan meetings. While his media presence has made a name for him, the driver has done a great job on track as well.
The driver has garnered five points after joining the team in Italy, an improvement compared to Sargeant. Colapinto was scoring impressively in the F2 2024 championship before his move to F1.
He has shown various skills on track, and has garnered an immense amount of fan engagement as well as sponsorships, something that would be of great value to Cadillac.
Daniel Ricciardo
The driver was recently ousted from the VCARB team (now Racing Bulls), being replaced by Kiwi driver, Liam Lawson.
While the Australian has had ups and downs in his career, it is with no doubt he is seasoned and well liked by the grid and fans.
His comeback would be deemed as one of the greatest and the fan engagement he brings would be immense. Some suggest that Cadillac would opt for a more experienced driver, and maybe Ricciardo is the one.
Logan Sargeant
Logan Sargeant is an American born driver who raced with Williams Racing in the 2023 season and for a few races in the F1 2024 season.
While Sargeant’s career was cut short in F1, he has had a stellar career in Formula 2 and other feeder series, most believe that his entry into F1 was too early for him, which lead to the inevitable end of his Williams Racing and Formula One Career.
With that being said, Sargeant has gotten that experience he once lacked, and would have ample time for practice and to be fierce in 2026.
Sebastian Vettel
The German driver left F1 a couple years ago, leaving an indelible mark in the history of the sport.
Vettel is a great driver and a valuable asset, after all he did win four championships in a battlefield with some amazing drivers. Many fans constantly anticipate and want his comeback in Formula One, maybe Cadillac is the team to do it with.
These are just some of the many drivers who we could see in the near future, sporting the brand colours of the Cadillac team in 2026. We as fans can only speculate who the drivers of the 11th team could be.
However, the reality of the team is unknown and it isn’t until 2025 where we will truly know who makes the cut and who doesn’t.
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