Danish driver associated with Cadillac's F1 team.

      Another name has suddenly emerged as a strong candidate for one of Cadillac's two new race seats in Formula 1 for 2026. The presence of former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, along with his billionaire backer Carlos Slim, during the Miami event sparked significant speculation that he may indeed be signed by the new eleventh team in F1. The Mexican driver is also being connected with Alpine for 2026.

      In the days following the Miami race, it came to light that Mick Schumacher attended the launch of Cadillac’s F1 brand identity nearby. However, another name has surfaced as a serious contender—Frederik Vesti. The 23-year-old Dane is recognized in the paddock as a Mercedes reserve driver. Over the weekend in Miami, he was initially engaged with the Mercedes simulator at Brackley, working from Friday night at 10 PM until 6 AM on Saturday.

      "From there, it was straight to the airport to be present in the Formula 1 paddock for the race," confirms the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet. Vesti stated, "It made a lot of sense for me to be there. The paddock is where everything happens. Being able to shake hands and greet some key individuals might influence your future decisions. It’s a long journey, but right now, I need to give it my all if there’s a chance for a seat."

      Some may scoff at the idea of Vesti being in contention for a Cadillac seat, but he already races for the GM-owned brand in the IMSA sports car championship. He is also managed by Dorte Riis Madsen, who has closely guided much of Kevin Magnussen’s F1 career.

      Vesti is open about his aspirations. "The Cadillac team is quite special," he remarked. "It’s a brand new team, and there's a lot to develop. They need individuals with Formula 1 experience. I also race for Cadillac in a hypercar, and when we made that agreement, we certainly hoped that Cadillac would enter Formula 1."

      He mentioned that he has already had substantial discussions with new Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon. "We are in close contact," he shared. "There’s still uncertainty about the direction they want to take with drivers. The most crucial thing is to keep in touch and continue to showcase who I am as a driver and what I can offer."