The Cadillac F1 team principal has given an honest update on their interest in 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Sergio Perez.

Sacked Red Bull driver Perez caused a stir when he cla𝓰imed “a fꦿew teams” had been in touch to bring him back into Formula 1.

Cadillac, who will enter the sport ne🀅xt year but don’t yet have any drivers signed up, were assumed to be one o🌞f Perez’s admirers.

Team boss Graeme Lowdon told Speed Ci🔯ty Broad🥀casting: “We are either planning, or have spoken to, seven or eight drivers.

“It would be no surprise that anybody who has got recent Formula 1 experience would be 🐠included in that list.

“Any discussions are very preliminary. We are trying to get to know 🌱what people’s interest levels are, what their motivations are.

“We are certainly no𝓰t in advanced discussion with any driver.”

Perez lost his Red Bull seat aft🍃er a poor 2024 where his inability to score points disadvantaged his team against McLaren in the constructors’ championship.

But the difficulties discovered by Liam Lawson in the RB21 could shed new light on Perez’s p🍎e𓆏rformances last year.

Elsewhere, Valtteri Bottas is another experienced name without a race seat who could be 💖on Cadillac’s♑ list.

Cadillac have been clear in dreaming of an American driver, with Colton Herta a🧜nd F2’s Jak Crawford the most obvious names.

“Colton has started the IndyCar season now,” Lowd𝐆on said.

“We are interested to see how Jakꦬ goes in Formula 2.

“There is a lot there, as well. Everybody wou🅷ld expect a Formula 1 team to hire drivers on merit, and that’s what we’ll do.

“But there’s nothing sto𝕴pping us having one or more drivers from the US, at some stage.”

Cadillac 'disadvantage' in F1 driver market talks

Cadillac, backed by General M🌳otors, will become tಌhe 11th Formula 1 team on the grid in 2026.

Their ar🔴rival coincides with the new engine regulations. It also gives F1 a powerhouse American manufacturer.

However, they haven’t been able to snap up a driver yet partly because they couldn’t seriously partakওe in ಞthe most recent round of negotiations.

“It was a big disadvantage that we could෴n’t take part in the last round of the driver mar🌳ket,” Lowdon said.

“It wasn’t fair for us to do when we didn’ꦡt have a confirmed entry.

“We could meet with drivers and talk to them. But without o﷽ur entry confirmed, we couldn’t play in that market plac🌌e.

“So that was🦩 a big disadvantage. A lot of teams concluded༺ arrangements then which span the new regulations in 2026.

“The upside is that there is a bunch of extremely good drivers who are hungry to be i🅠n F1, or 🤪to be back in F1.

“So there is no shortage in potential applicants.

“Since the entry has been confirmed, my phone has been reasonably bu🌃sy.

“But we are at fairly early stages. Drivers are a key part of the te๊am. This is a sport and in F1, the drivers are the heroes.

“It’s important to spend time with p꧋otential drivers for the team, and find out what their motivation is.

“☂⛎I would stress that we are at very early stages, at the moment.”