Mario Andretti confirms F1 veteran as 'option' for Cadillac seat

Mario Andretti has confirmed Sergio Perez is a viable option for the Cadillac F1 team for 2026.

Cadillac will join the grid next year as an 11th team, opening up two more seats on the grid.

Perez departed the F1 field at the end of the 2024 season following a dismal campaign with Red Bull during which he struggled to extract pace from the car.

The Mexican driver declared he will use the next six months to decide his future as he continues to be linked with a Cadillac drive.

Andretti, who is serving on the team's board of directors, confirmed signing the 35-year-old is a possibility for Cadillac.

“He is an option,” Andretti told the Spanish edition of ESPN. "It could be an option. Absolutely."

“I wish I could tell you, but this is something we keep secret ourselves because we don't want to give hope in some areas where maybe it's not going to happen.”

Cadillac has long detailed it is seeking an experienced driver for at least one of its seats, as well as an American presence.

Andretti conceded there are “not too many options” when it comes to US drivers while he pinpointed there are multiple experienced names it can draw upon.

“The second driver, the second seat, will definitely be an experienced driver who might be available,” he added. “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.

“We're doing a lot of thinking, and I don't have the final say, but I will have some influence. Again, I'm not the sole boss, so I don't make the final decision.”