Formula 2 star makes personal plea for 2026 Cadillac Formula 1 seat with ‘missed opportunity’ claim

Follow us on Google Discover

Cadillac is yet to announce who will be at the wheel of their challengers during their debut season as part of the F1 grid in 2026.

Cadillac have held talks with several drivers over the opportunity to take them into their first season as an F1 constructor. Their entry into the sport follows Formula 1 accepting General Motors’ application after they paid nearly double the amount initially demanded.

It was previously reported that Zhou Guanyu was almost certain to be one of the team’s drivers next year. This has since been debunked after Cadillac already informed Mick Schumacher that he won’t be driving for them, with the team set to inform Zhou of his lack of candidacy as well.

It has also been reported that Valtteri Bottas or Sergio Perez will be brought on board as the lead driver due to the veteran-grade experience of F1 that they both have under their belt. More recent reports have suggested Bottas is the more likely option, but nothing is set in stone just yet.

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

Jak Crawford believes Cadillac will miss the perfect ‘opportunity’ to have an American driver if he isn’t selected

Jak Crawford currently races for DAMS in Formula 2 as part of the Aston Martin Driver Development Programme as well as being the reserve driver for the Team Andretti Formula E team.

He is another attractive option for Cadillac’s second seat due to his American heritage. Crawford was formerly part of the Red Bull Junior Team, where he experienced firsthand the high expectations of Helmut Marko.

Speaking on ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, journalist Nate Saunders asked Jak Crawford about his links to the Andretti family and his chances of possibly driving for Cadillac, whom Mario Andretti joined forces with following his unsuccessful F1 team bid, next season.

“It’s hard to tell what they want,” the 20-year-old American started. “But looking at it from my side, if I were to win the championship in F2 or finish very high, I feel like it would be almost a bit of a missed opportunity to have an American driver in one of the seats.

“I’ve heard that they want an American driver in the seat at some point. Of course, at the beginning, it’s not ideal, but I do think, especially if I went out and won the championship, it would be a missed opportunity from their side.”

READ MORE: Who is Michael Andretti? All you need to know from F1 career to net worth

How is Jak Crawford doing in Formula 2 this season?

Crawford is currently chasing F2 championship-leader Richard Verschoor for the final six rounds of the 2025 season. He sits just six points behind the Dutchman in first place, with a win at the Silverstone feature race aiding his title fight.

It’s his third season in the second tier of FIA-governed single-seater racing, and with three wins under his belt already this season, it seems to be his best chance of winning some silverware before he moves on.

The American driver started the campaign off on the back foot, failing to score points for the first four races until his second-place finish in the Jeddah feature race. He has since finished every F2 race within the points-paying positions, except for the Sprint in Austria where he registered a DNS (Did Not Start).

Crawford previously expressed his interest in racing for Cadillac back in March. When asked if he is ready for the step-up to F1, he replied, “I’m ready. I would love to race in Formula 1, obviously. So if the opportunity arises, I would take it, 100%.”