Danish driver linked with Cadillac's F1 team

May 12 (GMM) Another name is suddenly being strongly linked to one of Cadillac’s two new race seats in Formula 1 for 2026.

In Miami, the presence of axed Red Bull driver Sergio Perez – and his billionaire backer Carlos Slim – triggered strong rumours that he will indeed be signed by F1’s new eleventh team.

The Mexican is also now being linked with Alpine for 2026.

And in the days after Miami, it then emerged that Mick Schumacher attended the nearby launch of Cadillac’s F1 brand identity.

However, another name has now emerged as a serious contender – Frederik Vesti.

In the Formula 1 paddock, the 23-year-old Dane is known as a Mercedes reserve driver. Over the Miami weekend, he was initially at the wheel of the Mercedes simulator at Brackley, working from Friday night at 10pm until 6am on Saturday morning.

“From there it was straight to the airport to be present in the Formula 1 paddock for the race,” the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet confirms.

Vesti confirms: “It made a lot of sense for me to be there. Because it’s in the paddock that everything happens. Bering able to shake hands with some important people and say hello to them might decide your future.

“It’s a long trip, obviously, but right now it’s about giving it 100 percent gas if there’s a chance for a seat.”

Some might scoff at Vesti believing he is in the running for a Cadillac seat, but he actually already drives for the GM-owned brand in the IMSA sports car championship.

He is also managed by Dorte Riis Madsen, who oversaw much of Kevin Magnussen’s career in F1.

Vesti does not hide his interest. “The Cadillac team is quite special,” he said. “It’s a completely new team, and there are a lot of things that need to be developed. So they need people who have Formula 1 experience.

“I also drive for Cadillac in a hypercar, and when we made that agreement, we of course hoped that Cadillac would enter Formula 1.”

Vesti says he has already spoken to new Cadillac team boss Graeme Lowdon “quite a bit”.

“We are in close contact with him,” he revealed. “There is still uncertainty about which direction they are going in relation to drivers. So the most important thing is to stay in touch and continue to present who I am as a driver and what I can do.”