There are three remaining drivers on the Cadillac F1 shortlist.

      Mario Andretti, the 1978 world champion, now serves as a consultant to the General Motors factory project and is a member of the Cadillac F1 board of directors.

      According to the 85-year-old veteran of motorsport, the list of candidates for places in the future 11th Formula 1 team has been reduced to three drivers, including Sergio Perez.

      "I can only say that he is, of course, one of those drivers who are being considered," Andretti said, taking part in the Fox Sports podcast Pit Talk. "He should be on our list. But I can't reveal at all what stage of this process we are at.

      I think we want to keep all this a secret until we feel like we've explored the full range of possible options. I think this is a reasonable approach. We still have a limited choice, it must be admitted, because many talented riders are already bound by contractual obligations.

      Fortunately, there are a few people, three or four, although I would say more like three, who definitely deserve consideration. We analyze all these candidates very carefully and conduct certain discussions. I can't add anything more to be fair to everyone."

      Mario Andretti did not mention any other names, but there is a high probability that Valtteri Bottas is also on the Cadillac shortlist. It cannot be ruled out that there are names of Mick Schumacher and Guanyu Zhou.

      As for the candidacy of Colton Herta, it is worth recalling the recent words of Dan Tauriss, the head of TWG Motorsports, who is leading the project to create a new team. He literally said the following: "We intend to invite an American driver, but it's important for us to make the right choice."… We want this person to be focused on success and ready for it..."

      There are doubts that Herta, with all his talents, is ready for a successful debut in Formula 1 – and it's not that the 25-year-old American doesn't have an FIA super license yet. By the way, in order to score enough points, he must take at least 4th place in the IndyCar series this year, but for now he is on the 7th line of the personal standings.

      Something else is more important: Colton has no experience in Formula 1, Cadillac understands this, so they are unlikely to rush to invite a driver who will need too much time to adapt.