Red Bull is poised to integrate American junior driver Ugo Ugochukwu into its development programme, a move that affects Cadillac’s long-term aspirations for an American Formula 1 driver. Ugochukwu, 19, currently leads the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship standings with 104 points after seven rounds.
Ugochukwu, who competes for Campos Racing in Formula 3, has demonstrated strong form this season, including a maiden F3 victory in Melbourne. He also secured the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy title earlier in 2026. This follows his departure from the McLaren driver development programme in late 2025.
PlanetF1.com understands Ugochukwu is set to receive Red Bull backing and is expected to advance to Formula 2 in 2027, likely continuing with Campos Racing. GPblog also reports that Red Bull is considering supporting Ugochukwu and his Campos F3 teammate Théophile Naël for F2 progression.
Cadillac, which entered Formula 1 as the 11th team for the 2026 season, has publicly stated its ambition to feature an American driver. The team’s current 2026 driver lineup consists of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, both on multi-year contracts. Cadillac utilises Ferrari power units, with plans to develop their own by 2029.
Colton Herta serves as Cadillac’s test driver and is scheduled for four free practice sessions during the 2026 F1 season. Herta’s transition to Formula 2 this year, aimed at securing the necessary superlicence points, has been challenging. He currently holds 26 points and sits 16th in the F2 standings, requiring 40 points for an F1 superlicence.
The potential signing of Ugochukwu by Red Bull introduces another layer to the competitive landscape of junior talent. Red Bull’s existing junior programme already features Nikola Tsolov, who leads the 2026 Formula 2 Championship with 161 points, 27 clear of Gabriele Mini.
Tsolov, also a Campos Racing driver in F2, is considered a prime candidate for a future Racing Bulls F1 seat, according to Team Principal Alan Permane. Should Tsolov win the F2 title, he would be ineligible to compete in the series in 2027, necessitating a move up.
Red Bull’s Formula 1 teams, Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, currently field Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and Arvid Lindblad. Former F1 driver David Coulthard has highlighted a potential ‘incoming issue’ for Red Bull due to the abundance of talent vying for limited F1 seats within their structure.
Ugochukwu, when questioned about his future and potential Cadillac links, stated, ‘There’s been a lot of conversations around, but I think for myself right now, it’s not a main topic on my mind or something that needs to be discussed. I’m still focusing on my F3 year and finishing this year on a high.’
He further added, ‘We still have F2, which is the next step in the feeder series, which comes first, so that’s what I’m focusing on right now.’ Ugochukwu, born in New York City, represents the USA while also having Nigerian and Italian heritage.
