Cadillac could now sign berated F1 driver who should ‘never’ have been on the 2024 grid

Cadillac joining the Formula 1 grid as the 11th team in 2026 could now offer a highly-berated driver a route back to the pinnacle of motorsport for General Motors’ squad.

F1 will return to fielding 22 cars on its grid for the first time in a decade next year as General Motors adds its Cadillac brand to the travelling circus. Not since the 2016 F1 season as Haas debuted and Manor contested what proved to be their final campaign did F1 have 11 teams.

Official confirmation finally arrived this Friday that Cadillac will be the 11th F1 team in 2026, ending the wait following Formula 1 announcing it was working with General Motors on the factory team project last November. Cadillac will start their life as a Ferrari engine customer.

Cadillac could sign Logan Sargeant to drive for F1’s new team in 2026

The Formula 1 grid growing from 20 to 22 seats could offer a number of drivers a route back to the pinnacle of motorsport, with Mercedes’ 2025 F1 reserve driver Valtteri Bottas already having preliminary talks with Cadillac before the official confirmation of their debut in 2026.

After being released by Red Bull after costing the Milton Keynes crew the defence of their F1 constructors’ championship title last season, Sergio Perez sees Cadillac as his chosen route back to F1. The 2025 term is F1’s first season without the Mexican since he debuted in 2011.

According to Ralf Bach, Logan Sargeant is even an option for Cadillac as they look to sign an American driver for their new F1 team. But what might count against the 24-year-old, whom Williams axed mid-season last year, is that Cadillac do not want to run two American drivers.

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

Bach has told F1-Insider: “Of course, there is Logan Sargeant who didn’t perform very well at Williams but still has Formula 1 experience. But I don’t think they want two Americans.”

Where is Logan Sargeant now after Williams released the American mid-season in 2024?

Sargeant became the 233rd American driver to compete in F1 when he debuted for Williams in 2023. He was also the first American F1 driver since Alexander Rossi back in 2015 but only entered 37 Grands Prix of which the Fort Lauderdale, Florida native started 36 for one point.

His sole point came on home soil but Sargeant only inherited P10 after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the 2023 United States Grand Prix. Ultimately, James Vowles decided to replace Sargeant with Carlos Sainz for 2025 and even let him leave early.

READ MORE: Logan Sargeant’s life outside F1 from height to Donald Trump ties

Franco Colapinto would come in for the final nine rounds of the 2024 season as Vowles saw enough with Sargeant’s clumsy and costly FP3 crash at the Dutch Grand Prix. Some pundits also felt the Williams academy product was lucky to get a contract for 2024 in the first place.

Tom Coronel felt Sargeant made ‘mistakes you shouldn’t make’ whilst at Williams and that it was ‘blindingly obvious’ he was ‘not fast enough for Formula 1’. He was not the only one to tout the idea, too, as Jolyon Palmer felt Williams should ‘never’ have kept Sargeant for 2024.

Now, Cadillac could bring the American back to F1 but it also remains to be seen if Sargeant wants to return to the Formula 1 grid. After being dropped by Williams, Sargeant tested for the IDEC Sport European Le Mans Series team Genesis Magma Racing funds last November.

Yet after seeming to angle his career towards endurance racing ahead of Genesis joining the World Endurance Championship (WEC) grid, Sargeant abandoned his plans to drive for IDEC Sport in ELMS this February to step away from all forms of racing and pursue other interests.