Cadillac are in the midst of deciding on the names they will be fielding in their debut season in Formula 1, and Juan Pablo Montoya has told them to start looking elsewhere immediately if they decide on one name which has been heavily linked with a seat.

Cadillac’s first official test has been booked in for January, and time is ticking for the team to figure out who will be at the wheel of their first F1 challenger in order to reap the benefits from the driver’s inputs.

F1 fans have had their say on who they want at the helm of the Cadillac’s next season, with Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas leading the polls.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff teased that a Bottas announcement is imminent, simply stating ‘watch this space’ regarding the future of the Finnish driver in the category.

Alex Dunne is also a name on Cadillac’s shortlist. The Irish F2 driver impressed in his FP1 debut with McLaren earlier in the year, and could be a good option for the team to build around as they look towards the future.

Juan Pablo Montoya thinks Cadillac should only sign Valtteri Bottas for a year before finding a ‘younger’ driver

Speaking to AS Colombia, Juan Pablo Montoya and his son, Sebastian Montoya, were asked who Cadillac should look towards as the 2026 season draws ever closer. The current Formula 2 driver pointed at the current favourites for the seat, Perez and Bottas.

“Yes, for me, I think that’s the pair,” Montoya Sr agreed. “And the way I think they should do it is sign one for two years and the other for one year.

“Commit one for two or three years and then start looking for someone younger who can be more of a future for them.

“Because the two drivers they have would be very good, but they’re drivers that in two or three years will already be thinking about stopping. But for the beginning of the team, it would be the ideal pair.”

When asked who Montoya would put on the longer deal, the Colombian replied, “Of the two, Checo. I think Checo would fit them a little better with the profile and everything, but Bottas is also very fast.

“So there you have to see exactly. Exactly. It depends on how motivated Valtteri is, because I think Valtteri is very fast and can be faster than Checo, but Valtteri is very emotional, it depends on the day.”

Following the reports of the new American constructor closing in on Perez, alternate candidate Mick Schumacher is now ‘aiming’ for Cadillac’s reserve driver role in a bid to get himself back on the grid in the near future.

Cadillac are also setting their sights on poaching staff from rival F1 teams

As well as figuring out who will be driving for them in 2026, Cadillac have also been in a scramble to fill the vacant positions within their ranks in hopes of bolstering the squad.

It has been reported that Cadillac are ‘offering double pay’ to members of their F1 rivals, in an aggressive recruitment attempt which has seen them visit the factories of other teams on the grid and outright ask them to join forces.

US bases
Charlotte, Michigan, North Carolina

UK base
Silverstone

CEO
Dan Towriss

Team principal
Graeme Lowdon

Technical director
Nick Chester

Engine
Ferrari

Drivers
TBA

The key details about the Cadillac F1 project
Following the sacking of Christian Horner, Red Bull are particularly ‘vulnerable’ to Cadillac’s tactic, due to the significant financial prowess that the American team has up their sleeve.

With Cadillac’s UK headquarters located at Silverstone, the move for various F1 personnel based in the surrounding areas could be very attractive, considering the bump in pay grade that the team are offering.