F1 confirm 2026 driver line-up after official Cadillac announcement

Formula 1 have confirmed the state of the grid for 2026 in a surprising and somewhat premature announcement.

Next season will see some massive changes brought in across the board, which are expected to shake up the grid in a big way as teams compete to be the ones who conform to the new regulations the best.

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2026 will also be the first year on the grid for two new manufacturers, with Audi taking over the Sauber entry and Cadillac/General Motors coming in with a brand new team of their own.

The entry of an 11th team in the sport has been a hot topic for over a year, with a number of big names in motorsport and business vying to get a seat at one of the most exclusive tables in the world.

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Who will drive in F1 in 2026?

The official F1 Twitter account posted the 'confirmed' driver lineup for the 2026 season on Friday, with the details of all the drivers who are under contract through next season.

Of course, as Red Bull have shown with both their senior and junior teams of late, a contract through a season is no guarantee that a driver will complete that season – or even start it, if their performance doesn't measure up.

Of the 22 seats on the grid – with Cadillac finally confirmed as an official runner – eight were left as question marks, including both Racing Bulls seats, both Mercedes seats and both for the incipient American team.

Colton Herta is the favourite to take one of the two Cadillac seats if he can earn his superlicense, but the second driver, who the team have hinted will be an F1 veteran, is still a mystery.

Our confirmed driver line up for 2026 featuring 22 seats! 🙌#F1 pic.twitter.com/9QlxooaM6E

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 7, 2025

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