19-year-old Red Bull-backed American driver named Cadillac F1's best choice by 2x IndyCar champ

Two-time IndyCar champion Will Power has backed a 19-year-old American driver to secure a Cadillac F1 seat. The American team, backed by General Motors and Andretti Global, will enter the pinnacle of motorsport in 2026 as the 11th team on the grid.

The team has reportedly finalized one of its drivers after scouting through a list of experienced drivers, including Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Zhou Guanyu, Colton Herta, and more. Perez, who drove for Red Bull before being let go after the 2024 season, will reportedly be Cadillac's first signing. An announcement is expected during the 2025 Italian Grand Prix weekend from September 5 to 7.

Will Power has endorsed another Red Bull talent to take the second seat with the American team. The IndyCar veteran feels NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch could become America's next big thing in F1 with Cadillac.

"Connor Zilisch was one that I thought... that is America's next F1 guy. I really did. I thought it was a pity... I don't know if he has a contract with Chevrolet, but that's your guy, man. That's your guy for that Cadillac F1 seat. Put him in open-wheelers. I guess you could do it through IndyCar, you could do it through Europe, but I think he's exceptional," Power said via SpeedFreaks on YouTube. [33:15 onwards]

The last American driver to race in F1 was Logan Sargeant with Williams. Unfortunately, the team axed him midway through 2024 on account of poor performance and costing millions in crash damages.

Power elaborated on Zilisch's promising race craft, adding:

"I actually raced karts with him, against him. I could see from the outset, this guy is going to be very, very good. That's the guy. If he's going to back the guy, he's the one."

Connor Zilisch has taken the NASCAR Xfinity Series by storm in 2025. The JR Motorsports driver has won six races and earned three more podiums. Unfortunately, he suffered a collarbone fracture after taking a fall while celebrating his latest victory at Watkins Glen.

He has undergone surgery, and his return to racing would be a "group decision" as per Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks, who has a driver development contract with the 19-year-old.

Former IndyCar driver explains why Connor Zilisch could be a top choice for Cadillac

Connor Zilisch at the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250 - Source: Getty

Over a week before Will Power's statement, former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe backed Connor Zilisch for a Cadillac move. The Canadian highlighted how Zilisch was one of the "most adaptable" drivers he's ever seen.

The 19-year-old has won races in nearly every racing series he has competed in, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series, ARCA Menards, IMSA Sportscar championship, and the Mazda MX-5 Cup. In an article for F1.com, Hinchcliffe used this argument to back his pick, writing:

"Competing full time in the Xfinity Championship in 2025, he already has three wins in the season, including his first oval victory. Given his road racing background, it is incredibly impressive that he is now competitive on the types of track that a lot of the drivers he’s racing against trained on exclusively on their rise to this level. And that’s really my point on Zilisch. He seems to be one of the most adaptable drivers that I’ve ever seen."

Though Connor Zilisch could be a viable option for 2026, Cadillac seems to be contemplating between Valtteri Bottas and Aston Martin junior Felipe Drugovich for the second seat.