Cadillac’s Formula 1 driver line-up is back under scrutiny, with Swiss newspaper Blick reporting a possible change of direction that could put Esteban Ocon in contention for a seat despite existing contracts with Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.
The suggestion raises questions about the team’s long-term driver strategy, but it also comes against a wider backdrop of organisational uncertainty and financial questions surrounding the TWG-led Cadillac project and its relationship with the Andretti operation.
According to Blick’s veteran Formula 1 reporter Roger Benoit, Cadillac may no longer be convinced that it wants to continue with both experienced drivers next season. Such a move would represent a significant U-turn, given that Perez and Bottas were recruited to provide the experience needed to establish an entirely new team in Formula 1.
Neither driver has publicly indicated that his position is under immediate threat. Bottas reaffirmed his commitment to the project in August, while Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss previously expressed confidence that Perez would remain with the team.
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Cadillac’s reported change of direction raises questions
Bottas said in August: “Of course, I’m still ready for next year. But at some point, we’ll talk about what happens after 2027, but it’s not that far along yet.”
Towriss also offered reassurance over Perez, stating: “I’m confident that Checo will stay with Cadillac.”
Those comments sit uneasily alongside Benoit’s latest suggestion that Cadillac could reconsider its driver pairing. Both men have contracts covering the coming season, meaning any replacement would potentially involve substantial compensation and difficult negotiations.
Benoit has suggested that Ocon could be an option, pointing to his reported relationship with Cadillac team principal Marcin Budkowski. If the Frenchman were to replace Bottas, the team could face the prospect of paying out the Finn’s multi-million-dollar contract.
The possibility remains a reported scenario rather than a confirmed negotiation or decision by Cadillac.
TJ13 sources point to a preference for Ocon
TJ13 has also heard from sources in the United States, including within Indiana’s motorsport community, suggesting that Ocon may be viewed favourably in discussions around Cadillac’s future line-up.
According to the information reaching TJ13, there is a preference in some quarters for Ocon over Perez and/or Bottas. The reasoning attributed to figures within the Cadillac set-up is that the two experienced drivers have not delivered the results those authority figures expected during the team’s debut campaign.
That assessment deserves scrutiny. Cadillac is a brand-new Formula 1 operation attempting to build its infrastructure, establish its working processes and become competitive against teams with years of experience. The challenges facing the project extend far beyond the performance of either driver.
Expecting immediate results from two veterans does not automatically make their performances the central problem. Equally, any assessment of their contribution needs to account for the competitiveness of the car, the quality of operational execution and the wider pressures involved in launching a new team.
TJ13’s understanding is that the discussion over drivers cannot be separated from the broader questions surrounding the organisation itself. The reported interest in Ocon may reflect a genuine sporting preference, but it does not establish that replacing either incumbent would address the underlying challenges.
TWG, Andretti and Walter add to the wider uncertainty
The driver speculation also arrives amid questions TJ13 has been examining concerning the relationship between TWG, the Andretti operation and the wider business interests associated with Dan Towriss and Mark Walter.
TJ13 has previously examined corporate filings and information from sources close to the situation while investigating the financial and organisational arrangements surrounding the Andretti and Cadillac projects. Those questions include how the different interests fit together, how the operation is financed and what any future changes in ownership, leadership or investment might mean for the Formula 1 team.
These are separate issues from the driver speculation, and no evidence presented in the Blick report establishes that financial considerations are driving a possible change to Cadillac’s line-up. Nor does the available information prove that any wider corporate uncertainty has directly affected the team’s sporting decisions.
Nevertheless, the context matters. A new team needs stability, clear leadership and a consistent development plan. If senior figures are simultaneously reassessing the drivers, the organisational structure or the direction of the wider business, that could complicate an already demanding first season.
Replacing experienced drivers would be a conspicuous response to underperformance. Before making such a decision, Cadillac would need to establish whether its principal limitations stem from the drivers, the machinery, operational execution or the wider structure of the project.
Why Ocon could be attractive — and why a switch would be risky
Ocon brings extensive Formula 1 experience and a reputation for hard racing. His potential availability could make him an appealing option if Cadillac genuinely believes a change is necessary.
However, replacing Bottas or Perez would carry sporting and financial implications, particularly with both drivers understood to have contracts for the coming season. A change could also undermine the continuity that a developing team needs.
For now, the key distinction is between speculation about Cadillac’s intentions and a confirmed decision. Benoit’s report and the information reaching TJ13 suggest that Ocon could be entering the conversation, but neither establishes that Cadillac has decided to remove either driver.
The larger question is whether Cadillac’s leadership will give its debut operation the time and stability required to mature — or whether it will look to its drivers to solve problems that may be rooted much deeper within the project.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
