Mario Andretti drops big hint over potential Cadillac F1 driver: 'Has to be on the list'

Mario Andretti says Sergio Perez "has to be" one of the drivers under consideration for the Cadillac F1 team in 2026.

The identity of Cadillac's two drivers for its entry into grand prix racing in 2026 is still not known, with former Red Bull racer Perez heavily-linked as a leading contender for the seat, given his experience, commercial backing and that he is from the Americas. 

The Mexican has been on a sabbatical following his Red Bull axe after a dismal 2024, with Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and even Mick Schumacher named as potential candidates for the Ferrari-powered project.

Speculation that Perez was going to be announced as a driver in Miami was unfounded and did not happen, with Andretti, who is serving on the board of directors addressing the six-time grand prix winner's status. 

“All I can tell you is that he’s certainly one of the drivers that’s being considered,” Andretti told the Fox Sports Pit Talk podcast, when directly asked about Perez as a candidate. 

“He has to be. I cannot divulge as to where we are with any commitment whatsoever.

“I think we want to keep that luxury to ourselves until we feel that we have scanned the entire spectrum of availability. I think that’s a prudent thing to do.

“The choice is somewhat limited. Let’s face it, a lot of the great talents are already under contract.

“Fortunately, still there are a few out there, three or four; I’ll say maybe three — that certainly deserve consideration, and all of this is being looked upon very seriously.

“There are some conversations going on somewhere and in some other places. That’s as much as I can tell you to be fair to everyone.”

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Talk of an American driver

Speculation that the General Motors-backed bid would field an American driver has been rife, with Andretti Global IndyCar star Colton Herta the leading candidate.

However, Herta does not have the required 40 points demanded for a superlicence over the three-year period heading into 2026, and is currently on 32.

To reach the threshold of 40, he must finish in the top four of the 2025 championship, and is currently ninth heading into the Indy 500, 44 points behind fourth-placed Pato O'Ward.

Addressing the 'American driver' question, Andretti felt that simply getting the best driver available was more of a factor than nationality.

"The optimum idea would be if we could definitely say: ‘Yes, we have the American already’,” the 1978 world champion added.

“At one point, maybe we might have thought so, but we want to keep that option open.

"I think it’s really important to try to arm the team in the best way possible, especially going in.

"Since we haven’t had a lot of participation as of late in Formula 1, I think to have a vehicle, to have a team to really truly consider American, I think that the idea of trying to look at bringing some talent from here is for real.

“[F1] is definitely riding a wave of popularity [in the US] — it’s unprecedented — but you still have to feed that.

“I think there’s a lot of national pride. The fact that we have three races here — why not have the opportunity to cultivate and have some of the US fans root for American drivers at one point?

“All of this is looking forward to the future.

"These are the things to work toward, because it’s all positive, and if you have a bubble, like we do here, you have to keep feeding that bubble. You don’t want to let it burst."