Daniel Ricciardo has started a season off the grid for the second time in the last three years, yet the Australian continues to earn interest in a potential return to Formula 1.
The 35-year-old did not find another seat in the pinnacle of motorsport after Red Bull kicked Ricciardo out of their junior team, Racing Bulls, for Liam Lawson last year. His final outing for the Faenza squad came when Ricciardo set the fastest lap in the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.
Last season was often a frustrating period for the Perth native, as Ricciardo only managed to score 12 points from 18 rounds. He also only finished three Grands Prix plus one F1 Sprint in the points last year, which left Red Bull feeling like his time in Formula 1 was at its end again.
Cadillac are considering offering Daniel Ricciardo a Formula 1 return in 2026
Even Ricciardo considers his Formula 1 career to be over after he left Racing Bulls before the end of the 2024 season. But he may yet return to the grid in 2026, as Blick now reports that Cadillac are considering signing Ricciardo for the General Motors brand’s debut next season.
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Ricciardo is one of seven names on Cadillac’s shortlist for their first driver line-up, including fellow ex-F1 stars Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and Mick Schumacher. Cadillac are also mulling Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich and IndyCar star Colton Herta.
Cadillac held talks with Schumacher at the Miami Grand Prix, and have now rekindled their interest in the German. But the son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher is not on pole position to seal one of the American squad’s seats, which could be confirmed soon.
Sergio Perez and Colton Herta could clear a path for Daniel Ricciardo to join Cadillac
Ricciardo is also not on pole to edge Schumacher for one of the two drives, as F1 Oversteer understands that Perez is Cadillac’s top target. But the Mexican may yet opt to snub the GM crew for his F1 return, as Perez is hesitating to sign for Cadillac in case he can join Mercedes.
The incoming American squad’s two vacancies are coveted, though, as Bottas is holding out for Cadillac before deciding on his 2026 F1 return plans. Bottas is currently a reserve driver at Mercedes after Audi elected against extending his or Zhou’s contracts to race for Sauber.
Additionally, Mario Andretti has confirmed that Herta ‘really wants’ to drive for Cadillac’s F1 team in 2026. But the American, who is a leading star in IndyCar for Andretti, currently does not have enough points for an FIA Superlicence, which he must secure to race in Formula 1.
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Should Perez, in particular, no longer become an option for Cadillac, then Ricciardo’s chance to return to F1 in 2026 could become more plausible. He is an eight-time Grand Prix winner, boasts 32 career podium finishes and scored pole position three times through 258 entries.
Also, McLaren and Racing Bulls both believe Ricciardo never lost his talent, but his form did not last for either due to the Australian’s mentality. Lando Norris destroyed Ricciardo whilst teammates at McLaren, with the Briton leading 16-5 in races and 20-2 in qualifying in 2022.
