Cadillac F1 boss insists the team will only sign an American driver on merit

Cadillac crew principal Graeme Lowdon has said that the incoming System 1 squad will choose its first driver line-up on advantage – and that it might nonetheless comprise an American.

F1 and the FIA formally permitted the entry of Common Motors on Friday which means its Cadillac model will grow to be the grid’s eleventh crew from 2026.

However preparations have lengthy been below method to get the crew in form for its debut, but no official conversations with potential drivers might happen till the ratification final week.

There are a number of drivers at present 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 undoubtedly choose on advantage,” mentioned Lowdon. “System 1, it is not a playground, that is the top of world motorsport.

“I feel when it comes to timing, it is form of a bit of bit odd as a result of we’re out of sync with the opposite groups, we weren’t within the driver market throughout the pretty crucial final spherical, so sure drivers are tied up for sure intervals.

Graeme Lowdon

“Fortunately for us, there are a number of 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 a variety of potential candidates. Can we see very proficient drivers who at present aren’t on the grid? Sure, we do.

“We’re going to be fairly busy speaking to some individuals, my telephone’s definitely been busy. What’s a bit of bit troublesome due to the scenario that we’re in as a brand new crew, 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 supply extraordinarily good credentials to be in System 1 or to be in System 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 deliver expertise to the Cadillac mission. Zhou particularly, is a reputation of be aware given Lowdon makes up a part of the Ferrari reserve driver’s administration crew.

“It is a bit of 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 need 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

Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs

“I feel Zhou’s accomplished an exceptionally good job below troublesome circumstances and what makes it truly fairly helpful for me is he would not essentially want to elucidate the background of his skills 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 is not any favouritism in any specific path in direction of him or another driver that we might have involvement with on the grid.

“We’re there to do a job, so we’ll choose drivers on advantage. 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 occasions, 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 motive why an American driver cannot be chosen on advantage as properly,” he mentioned.

“It is definitely one thing that the followers wish to see, and I see no motive why that may’t occur. However the overriding goal is advantage. We have got a job to do right here.

“I do not see any specific drawback. I do not envisage any specific drawback on that entrance and as I mentioned earlier than, driver choice will certainly be on advantage.

“What I am making an attempt to emphasize is simply because somebody’s American does not imply that they can not be an excellent System 1 driver.”

Colton Herta, Andretti World w/ Curb-Agajanian Honda

Photograph 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 Common Motors F1 entry.

However the issue for the 24-year-old is that he at present 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,” mentioned Lowdon.

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

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

“He is extremely proficient, so it is not shock information that we might be trying to Colton alongside a complete bunch of different drivers as properly.

“He is not the one one truly in that scenario and he will not be the primary, he will not be the final driver the place there’s some uncertainty resulting from superlicence factors, however we simply need to reside with that. That is a regulation. We simply need to respect it.”

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