Cadillac's cryptic Esteban Ocon response raises doubts over 2027 line-up
Photo: Race Pictures
Tobia is a Formula 1 journalist at GPblog with experience at international circuits. Since 2022, he has covered Grands Prix across Europe, delivering reliable coverage and insights from the paddock.
Cadillac team principal Marcin Budkowski has remained tight-lipped over the possibility of signing Esteban Ocon as reserve driver for 2027, while revealing that the American outfit has attracted interest from numerous drivers and their representatives.
Speaking during the FIA team principals' press conference ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Budkowski was asked whether Cadillac would consider signing Esteban Ocon as its reserve driver for the 2027 season, given that the Frenchman is currently without a race seat and therefore available to join another team.
The American outfit, which joined the championship at the beginning of 2026, currently fields Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. Both drivers returned to Formula 1 after spending the previous season on the sidelines, bringing considerable experience to the championship's newest team.
Although Cadillac has given no indication that it intends to replace either driver, Budkowski's response left the door open to questions about the team's longer-term plans. The Polish-French engineer, who replaced Graeme Lowdon as team principal in August, acknowledged that he has received approaches from numerous drivers and their representatives.
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"As a team principal, and I'm sure it's the same with my colleagues, you're getting calls and contacts from every driver or driver manager that is on the market. There's a number of drivers and managers who have contacted me. I'm not going to say who it is or who it isn't, but pretty much all of them that are on the market have been in touch, as you'd expect."
Photo: Race Pictures
Budkowski refuses to reveal Cadillac's driver plans
Despite acknowledging the interest surrounding Cadillac, Budkowski was unwilling to provide any indication of whether the team could make changes to its line-up.
The Cadillac boss joked that revealing such information during a press conference would not go down well with the team's communications department, before stressing that any decisions would be announced through official channels.
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"I think it's the last place here, as you can imagine, where I would communicate anything on the driver line-up. My marketing and communications department would kill me if I did that.
He then doubled down:"This is the last place I would comment on driver contracts, and in general, I think it's not something that is done in the press. It's something which will be done by official releases from the team when the time is right."
Ralf Schumacher recently urged Cadillac to replace Bottas
Budkowski's comments also follow recent remarks from former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who questioned whether Bottas should remain at Cadillac beyond the current season.
Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher argued that Haas driver Esteban Ocon would be a better choice for the American outfit, making clear that his assessment was based on sporting considerations rather than any personal criticism of the Finn.
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"I would definitely take Ocon immediately," Schumacher said, before suggesting that Bottas should "get on your bike and enjoy your life". The comment also referenced Bottas's well-known passion for cycling, which recently saw him complete a journey from Malaysia to Singapore.
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