Daniel Ricciardo joins Cadillac F1 as five-driver wish list revealed

Formula 1 announced an interim agreement with Cadillac, a sub-brand of General Motors, to join the grid as a team in 2026. Many details are still to come, including the potential driver lineup.

As the excitement builds, we’ve selected five drivers we’d like to see get a chance to get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 team joining Cadillac.

Experienced hand: Daniel Ricciardo

Every new Formula 1 team could benefit from an experienced talent behind the wheel; A driver who is experienced in this field, knows what it takes to compete in the sport and ideally knows what a top team should look like. One man stands out: Daniel Ricciardo.

Now, say what you will about Ricciardo’s history in F1, but the Australian racer has experienced the highs and lows of the series and he is also a fan-favorite driver in the United States. His presence in the Cadillac F1 team may not be a recipe for an instant World Championship, but it will certainly get things started on the right foot.

Rising US star: Jak Crawford

When Andretti Global announced its intention to join Formula 1, it insisted that it wanted to be an all-American event: an American team with American power units and American drivers. We still want Cadillac to bring an American on board, although it’s unclear if that goal will continue due to Michael Andretti’s withdrawal from the team. And there is no better American driver for this task than Jak Crawford.

Crawford has been climbing the junior ranks over the last few years, signing a deal with the Red Bull junior program before moving to Aston Martin. He had the chance to test F1 machines and see how a team works from the inside. If Cadillac wants to take a chance on a rising star, Crawford is an easy choice.

More on the Andretti Global saga:

Andretti Global and Group 1001: How did racing sponsorship become joint ownership of the team?

Cadillac’s European move could realize F1 hopes without Andretti

Star American: Colton Herta

When Andretti Global first started talking about entering F1, one driver’s name was instantly associated with the team: Colton Herta.

The young Californian driver has been close to the Formula 1 universe for years, but a lack of superlicense points prevented him from realizing his international open-wheel dreams.

However, Cadillac F1’s possible 2026 entry date means Herta could actively pursue super license points if he aims to join the team. Participation in the Formula Regional championships, combined with some FP1 sessions and a clean IndyCar season, could easily make Herta a possibility.

US fan favorite: Pato O’Ward

Speaking of IndyCar drivers looking to join Formula 1, let’s throw Pato O’Ward’s name into the ring.

Like Herta, O’Ward has been dancing on the outskirts of Formula 1 for some time. He joined the Red Bull junior program, albeit for a very short time, with the intention of joining F1 in 2019; only for the FIA to decide that the Indy Lights championship was not worth a sufficient amount of super license points.

O’Ward returned to IndyCar, where his incredible speed brought him seven wins, 26 podiums and numerous near misses in major events like the Indy 500. O’Ward has competed in very few races since partnering with McLaren in 2020. The number of FP1 sessions increased and showed consistent improvement. And its existing ties to Chevrolet mean it has a direct line with GM to defend itself.

Curveball: Franco Colapinto

Let’s say Cadillac wants a driver with some Formula 1 experience, but Moreover He is a driver who is still at the beginning of his career. This driver needed to make a strong impact in the races he competed in, but he also needed to be a free agent.

That driver could well be Franco Colapinto.

The Argentinian racer will finish the 2024 season with just a few F1 races remaining and currently looks set to become a free agent in the future. While we hope 2026 will bring him a seat, many existing F1 teams have already signed multi-year deals with their drivers. This could open an important place for Colapinto in Cadillac.