Despite his abrupt F1 exit in Singapore, Daniel Ricciardo still commands sway in the driver market. With reports circulating about Cadillac F1’s interest in his Ricciardo’s chances of a comeback are far from over.
Ricciardo would tick several boxes for Cadillac F1
As reported previously by LWOS, Cadillac want certain characteristics for their 2026 driver line-up.
One of their main considerations, as revealed by Mario Andretti, will be to sign an American driver to the team. This makes Colton Herta an obvious option.
Alongside this, Cadillac are looking for an experienced F1 driver.
For a team making their debut, having a driver with a strong understanding of F1’s intricacies can only be a positive.
In this sense, Daniel Ricciardo would be a perfect fit for Cadillac.
Although Red Bull eventually replaced the Australian with Liam Lawson in Singapore, it would be unfair to say Ricciardo didn’t have highlights in 2024.
If anything, Ricciardo probably suffered from people underestimating the abilities of his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
Regardless, Cadillac can be confident about the 35-year-old’s ability to contribute.
Whilst it is premature to describe Ricciardo as a favourite to join the US outfit, he should not be written off.
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The ball is in Ricciardo’s court
Of course, there is still a long way to go before General Motors/Cadillac decide their 2026 pairing.
By the time F1’s “silly season” kicks into gear in 2025, Ricciardo may not be a priority target.
With that said, it seems unlikely the 8-time race winner will be completely without options – should he be interested in returning to F1.
Ultimately, this is as the crux of Ricciardo’s future. On several occasions since joining VCARB in 2023, he emphasised that racing at the front was his goal.
Joining the Faenza-based team was a platform for an audition to join Red Bull.
Considering that Cadillac would be underdogs in their first few seasons, joining them would be a very different project.
A move to the US squad would require leading the team through an increasingly competitive field.
For all their investment and ambition, reaching the height of Formula 1 will be a tall order for GM/Cadillac.
In this context, Ricciardo might lack the motivation to join a team unlikely to challenge at the front.
The Australian has made no indication of his future plans since departing from VCARB. This is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future.
Only when the 2025 season begins will Ricciardo’s influence in the market become clearer.
As it stands, a scenario where Daniel Ricciardo returning to the grid is far away.
However, the volatile nature of Formula 1 suggests it would be unwise to dismiss his chances over the next twelve months.
