Cadillac F1 it appears will not be fielding Daniel Ricciardo in their first F1 line-up, the eight-time race winner giving a clear no.

That is the claim made by ESPN, which has learnt that Ricciardo sees zero appeal in being the experienced driver competing alongside an American which Cadillac F1 wants for its debut line-up.

Daniel Ricciardo not making F1 return with Cadillac

After previous resistance from Formula One Management to the union of Andretti Global and General Motors brand Cadillac joining the F1 grid, a change of stance emerged with the team – now formally renamed from Andretti to Cadillac – accepted as a provisional 11th team entrant for F1 2026.

1978 World Champion Mario Andretti will serve as a director on the board and has given a key insight into their driver plans, with the talk of an experienced F1 driver leading to speculation about a move for Ricciardo, whose F1 career status is in doubt after being dropped by Red Bull from junior team VCARB during F1 2024.

While Ricciardo would tick the experience box with 257 grand prix starts and eight victories to his name, what would also make him an appealing option for the American squad is his huge popularity in the United States.

However, according to ESPN, sources with a close connection to Ricciardo have confirmed that Cadillac F1 have not been in touch, and he holds “no interest” in returning to Formula 1 with the team anyway.

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Nonetheless, preparations continue at pace for the Cadillac F1 entry, with former Marussia and Virgin Racing boss Graeme Lowdon recently announced as team principal, while an engine deal has been struck with Ferrari to power the team until the General Motors engine is ready for action in 2028.

Speaking about the Ferrari deal, Lowdon said: “We are thrilled to partner with Ferrari as the power unit and gearbox supplier for our Cadillac team, bringing together two remarkable legacies.

“Choosing the right power unit partner is crucial, and we trust in Ferrari’s passion, excellence and the exceptional capabilities of their people.”

Alongside Ferrari and General Motors, Mercedes, Honda, Audi F1 and Red Bull Powertrains-Ford are also signed up for the new generation of F1 engines, which will arrive in 2026. Renault were due to join that mix, but pulled the plug on their F1 engine project, prompting Alpine to secure a customer deal with Mercedes.

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