With confirmation that Cadillac is officially joining the F1 grid in 2026 has come a flurry of rumours regarding the potential drivers who might represent the team, with names like Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas emerging as key contenders.

But is there truth to those rumours? How many drivers is Cadillac talking to? And how has the driver selection process gone overall? Team principal Graeme Lowdon has some answers.

“Seven or eight” drivers on Cadillac F1 2026 shortlist

It can be difficult to remember that Cadillac has only been a confirmed F1 2026 team for a few weeks. The team, which started out as Andretti Global and which evolved through a series of acceptances, rejections, and negotiations into Cadillac F1, was nothing more than a possibility until March of 2025.

While team principal Graeme Lowdon and financier Dan Towriss have been spotted in the paddock on a fairly regular basis, they have largely been operating on a shaky foundation. It’s only in the past month that they’ve truly been able to start dipping a toe into the driver market, hoping to secure some top talent to ease the team into life as a top-notch competitor.

It hasn’t been easy. Speaking to Speed City Broadcasting, Lowdon noted that negotiations have only really begun recently thanks to the delay in official confirmation.

“I think it was a big disadvantage that we weren’t able to participate in the last round of the driver market, effectively, because it wasn’t fair for us to do so when we didn’t have a confirmed entry,” Lowdon explained.

“For sure, we could meet with drivers and talk to them, but without the entry confirmation, you can’t really claim that marketplace.

“We’re now out of sync with a lot of the teams, because a lot of teams concluded arrangements then that span the introduction of new regulations in ’26, but the upside is, there’s a bunch of extremely good drivers out there who are all hungry to be either in F1 or back in F1, and so there’s no shortage of potential applicants.”

More on Cadillac in Formula 1:

👉 Cadillac F1: Everything you need to know about the new 11th team

👉 Cadillac F1: Who are the key personnel at America’s latest Formula 1 team?

One such potential applicant is former Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez; recently, rumours have emerged that the Mexican driver is not just a strong candidate, but that he has been in ‘advanced talks’ with the American team.

Lowdon wouldn’t go so far as to claim Perez was a lock, saying that “we’re only in very early stages” of negotiations with all drivers at the moment.

However, he did confirm that Cadillac is “either planning or have spoken to probably seven or eight drivers altogether.”

The team principal wasn’t prepared to list of any names, but he did suggest that “it’d be no surprise that anybody who has got recent Formula 1 experience will be included in that list.”

I’d stress that at the moment, any discussions are very preliminary,” he continued.

“They are just really trying to get to know what people’s interest levels are, what their motivations are, and that kind of thing.

“We’re certainly not in advanced discussions with any driver.”

While there are drawbacks to getting involved in the negotiation game later than the existing F1 teams, Lowdon did note the “lucky position” they’re in when it comes to potential driver options.

“There’s a bunch of people with a lot of experience — not just ‘turn up an drive’ experience; people who’ve been in championship winning teams or race winning teams,” he explained.

“But also, people who are younger, who’ve got experience as well. Also promising drivers who haven’t yet had concrete experience, but they have proven themselves in junior formula and junior categories as well.

“Considering we were not able to be active in that last driver market, we’re in a reasonably good position at the moment in terms of putting together a driver lineup for ’26, and we said a number of times, the driver lineup selection will be on merit.

“I’m happy that all of the drivers that we’re having early discussions with are perfectly capable Formula 1 drivers, and perfectly capable of leading a good, professional team.”

Read next: Sergio Perez in ‘advanced talks’ with Cadillac F1 over F1 2026 return – report