1978 Formula 1 champion Mario Andretti has opened up on Cadillac’s process of forming its driver lineup for the 2026 season. Andretti has revealed that former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is “an option.”
General Motors, under its Cadillac branding, received formal approval from Formula One Management to enter the sport as an 11th team in 2026. It will initially join with a powertrain partnership with Ferrari before becoming a GM works team in 2028.
The recent replacement of Liam Lawson at Red Bull after just two Grands Prix this 2025 F1 season has led to increased rumours surrounding Perez’s potential comeback. The Milton Keynes outfit decided to part ways with the Mexican driver at the end of 2024, and Lawson took his spot alongside Max Verstappen, albeit just for the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix.
During an appearance on the ESPN Racing podcast, Andretti commented:
“Well, I wish I could tell you, but this is something we keep secret ourselves because we don’t want to raise hopes in some areas where it might not happen.
“So I think it’s very important that we keep this between us until a final decision is made. There are a lot of them [drivers] in the United States, you know, but because of licensing and everything else, there definitely aren’t too many options.
Mario Andretti, 1978 Formula 1 World Champion
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz
“But the second driver, the second seat, will definitely be an experienced driver who might be available. And we all know that the selection in that regard is quite clear.
“There may be three drivers to choose from. Three drivers, realistically, to choose from. And I’m not going to tell you which ones.”
When asked if Perez was one of those options, the former driver added:
“It’s an option. It could be an option. Of course. All I can say is that Liam Lawson is making Checo look very, very good.
“[Yuki] Tsunoda, you know, I think he probably deserved that seat more than Liam. But who am I?”
Andretti has also previously hinted that IndyCar driver Colton Herta could be a “great candidate” for the Cadillac team.
