US F1 influence tipped to GROW with stunning driver transfer verdict

Former Formula 1 star Ralf Schumacher has tipped an American racer to be given a seat on the grid, with the new F1 team that will join the sport in 2026.

General Motors are set to enter F1 in 2026 under the Cadillac name, with the American manufacturing giants also producing engines for the new team by 2028.

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The new team will likely be powered by Ferrari engines for the initial two seasons, with 'operational milestones' being reached by the brand, which persuaded F1 and the FIA to grant permission for there to be an 11th team on the grid for 2026.

This news came almost a year after the FIA had initially backed an Andretti-led entry bid, but it was pushed back by F1 as they were unsure of the value that the proposed entry would bring.

Who will race with Cadillac?

Now, attention is switching onto which two drivers may take up the extra two seats on the grid from 2026.

Mario Andretti recently suggested that the team are looking for an experienced F1 driver to partner a young American talent, with Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, Colton Herta and Logan Sargeant all being linked with the two seats in the past week.

Now, former F1 driver Schumacher, whose nephew Mick Schumacher could also be an option for GM/Cadillac, has said that the new team are likely to take an American route with their driver lineup, but has warned of the risks of using an IndyCar racer.

"I’m pretty sure they’ll rely on American talent," he told Sky Germany.

"On the other hand, it’s fair to say that the IndyCar level is not the Formula 1 level. We’ve seen that in numerous test drives. But that doesn’t mean that there’s some super talent lurking there that no one has found yet.

"I’m assuming that they’ll get a known name to give them a starting point," he said. "You’re starting from scratch with everything and that’s going to be damn difficult. That’s why you have to have someone who you know can do it and who you can rely on."

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