Cadillac hopeful sets target to land F1 seat: 'I know what I need to do'

Cadillac hopeful Jak Crawford insists he must deliver the Formula 2 title if he wants to be in with a chance of landing a "dream" F1 seat for 2026.

The American driver currently sits in second place in the F2 drivers' standings after the British GP support round, six points behind leader Richard Verschoor, having claimed feature race victory at Silverstone. 

He has also won the Imola sprint and Monaco feature races, with the North Carolinian eyeing a chance to become one of Cadillac's two 2026 F1 drivers. 

The likes of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez have been linked with one of the two seats, with IndyCar star Colton Herta another name touted.

However, Herta currently does not have a superlicence, something Crawford could achieve if he wins the F2 title. Herta requires a fifth-place finish in the standings to earn enough points to qualify. He is currently eighth, 38 points behind Christian Lundgaard in fifth.

No American driver has ever won the GP2/F2 title, with Crawford sure that the best way he can secure the Cadillac seat is by winning the title. 

"I would surely hope so," Crawford replied when asked by RacingNews365 if Cadillac was a potential option for him in 2026.

"From my side, I have my manager and everyone keeping on the case, and I know I need to do my job in Formula 2, which is to just keep performing, win the championship and win races.

"But it is definitely an option I am trying to look at and definitely trying to get happen. 

"It will be my final F2 season, I'm already in my third year of F2, and I already said last year that I am not going to do another year, this is the last one.

"My dream has been Formula 1 for quite a while now, so that is my first goal that I want to achieve, and of course, there is Formula E, which is very close if that is not able to happen."