Mercedes F1 reserve driver Fred Vesti is actively pursuing a full-time Formula 1 seat with Cadillac for the 2027 season. This interest emerges amidst ongoing uncertainty surrounding the future of current Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas. Vesti participated in the Free Practice 1 session at this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, substituting for George Russell.
Cadillac entered Formula 1 as the 11th constructor on the grid for the 2026 season. The team currently utilises Ferrari power units and transmissions, with plans to introduce their own power unit by 2029. Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas serve as Cadillac’s primary race drivers for the 2026 campaign.
Pérez has secured his position with Cadillac until at least the end of 2029. However, Bottas’s contract for 2027 includes an option that the team has not yet confirmed. His performance this season has been subject to scrutiny, particularly in comparison to Pérez, who has generally held an advantage in races where both drivers completed the distance. Bottas has recorded eight retirements during the current season.
Vesti maintains a strong relationship with Cadillac through his involvement in the IMSA Sportscar series. He has secured three victories with the manufacturer over the past two seasons. In 2026, Vesti, alongside Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber, contributed to the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac team winning the IMSA GTP Team title, with Aitken also claiming the Driver title.
Beyond Vesti, Colton Herta is also a contender for the 2027 Cadillac seat. Herta, currently a test driver for Cadillac, has been working to accumulate the necessary FIA Super Licence points. He has competed in Formula 2 during the 2026 season and participated in multiple F1 Free Practice 1 sessions.
Recent clarification from the FIA confirmed that Herta remains one point short of the required 40 Super Licence points, despite initial beliefs that he had reached the threshold after his Mexico City FP1 outing. This discrepancy stemmed from an error in the 2025 IndyCar standings. Cadillac may provide Herta with another FP1 opportunity to secure the final point.
Internally, General Motors is reportedly in favour of Herta for the 2027 seat. This contrasts with the F1 team’s preference, where Bottas is understood to be the favoured option, a sentiment shared by his teammate Sergio Pérez.
Vesti has publicly advocated for opportunities for young drivers in Formula 1. He cited the performance of Kimi Antonelli as an example of emerging talent.
Antonelli, a Mercedes driver, is on the verge of securing the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix. He requires only two points to clinch the title, having achieved nine Grand Prix victories this season. Should he succeed, Antonelli would become the youngest F1 world champion in the sport’s history.
