Cadillac F1 boss insists the team will only sign an American driver on merit

Cadillac group principal Graeme Lowdon has said that the incoming System 1 squad will choose its first driver line-up on advantage – and that it might nonetheless comprise an American.

F1 and the FIA formally permitted the entry of Normal Motors on Friday which means its Cadillac model will develop into the grid’s eleventh group from 2026.

However preparations have lengthy been beneath method to get the group in form for its debut, but no official conversations with potential drivers might happen till the ratification final week.

There are a number of drivers presently with out race seats in F1 who’ve been linked to Cadillac, whereas the prospect of the US squad hiring a homegrown racer has additionally been mooted.

“We undoubtedly choose on advantage,” stated Lowdon. “System 1, it is not a playground, that is the top of world motorsport.

“I believe by way of timing, it is sort of slightly bit odd as a result of we’re out of sync with the opposite groups, we weren’t within the driver market through the pretty vital final spherical, so sure drivers are tied up for sure intervals.

Graeme Lowdon

“Fortunately for us, there are quite a lot of good drivers on the market, sadly, we have not been in a position to be within the driver market till the entry was confirmed.

“It is essential for us to speak to plenty of potential candidates. Can we see very proficient drivers who presently aren’t on the grid? Sure, we do.

“We’re going to be fairly busy speaking to a couple folks, my cellphone’s definitely been busy. What’s slightly bit tough due to the state of affairs that we’re in as a brand new group, the timeline is not as laid out because it usually is. It is usually fairly clear for all of us concerned within the driver negotiations.

“However there are simply half a dozen, if no more candidates on the market who supply extraordinarily good credentials to be in System 1 or to be in System 1 once more.”

The likes of Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu misplaced their seats in F1 on the finish of final season and would convey expertise to the Cadillac challenge. Zhou particularly, is a reputation of notice given Lowdon makes up a part of the Ferrari reserve driver’s administration group.

“It is slightly bit too early to go an excessive amount of into any element, as a result of it is solely now that we’re in a position to have significant conversations,” added Lowdon. “However for certain, we need to have drivers that may contribute to the general programme.

Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Group Kick Sauber, with Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Group Kick Sauber

Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures

“I believe Zhou’s accomplished an exceptionally good job beneath tough circumstances and what makes it really fairly helpful for me is he does not essentially want to clarify the background of his skills as a result of I’ve had a entrance row seat to see all that, in order that’s a profit.

“There’s the proper checks and balances in place, so there isn’t any favouritism in any specific route in the direction of him or another driver that we could have involvement with on the grid.

“We’re there to do a job, so we’ll choose drivers on advantage. There are some actually good ones on the market, Zhou included.”

Whereas loads of names have been bandied round, the concept of recruiting an American driver is one that won’t go away. Regardless of a dearth of US F1 drivers in latest instances, Lowdon didn’t rule out signing one for the 2026 season.

“The apparent query is whether or not we’ll have American drivers and personally, I see no cause why an American driver cannot be chosen on advantage as properly,” he stated.

“It is definitely one thing that the followers want to see, and I see no cause why that may’t occur. However the overriding goal is advantage. We have got a job to do right here.

“I do not see any specific downside. I do not envisage any specific downside on that entrance and as I stated earlier than, driver choice will certainly be on advantage.

“What I am attempting to emphasize is simply because somebody’s American does not imply that they can not be a great System 1 driver.”

Colton Herta, Andretti World w/ Curb-Agajanian Honda

Photograph by: Geoffrey M. Miller / Motorsport Pictures

One such driver linked with a seat is IndyCar’s Colton Herta at Andretti World, which has been concerned with the Normal Motors F1 entry.

However the issue for the 24-year-old is that he presently doesn’t have sufficient factors on his superlicence to compete in F1.

“With regard to Colton, so he does not have the required variety of superlicence factors and if that have been to stay the case, then that is clearly an obstacle for him,” stated Lowdon.

“We will not select a driver that does not have the factors, that’s simply the true world that we stay in and we simply must take that into consideration.

“Does his lack of reaching or the shortage of being on the threshold for the superlicence in any method have an effect on his skill to drive a race automobile? No.

“He is extremely proficient, so it is not shock information that we’d be trying to Colton alongside an entire bunch of different drivers as properly.

“He is not the one one really in that state of affairs and he will not be the primary, he will not be the final driver the place there’s some uncertainty on account of superlicence factors, however we simply must stay with that. That is a regulation. We simply must respect it.”

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