COTA boss: Cadillac’s F1 arrival could supercharge US Grand Prix

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Circuit of the Americas chief Bobby Epstein believes Cadillac’s arrival in Formula 1 in 2026 will be a huge boost both for the sport and for the United States Grand Prix, suggesting the American brand could inject fresh energy into Austin’s showcase event.

The General Motors marque will join the grid next year as F1’s 11th team, run by TWG Motorsports, which took over the original Andretti Global project, with new headquarters in Silverstone and a parallel base in the United States.

Led by CEO Dan Towriss and team principal Graeme Lowdon, the squad has already secured a seasoned driver pairing in Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez, while also outlining its ambitions to develop its own in-house power units by 2029.

Epstein, who co-founded COTA and has overseen Austin’s F1 race since 2012, is confident that Cadillac’s arrival will open new doors for the U.S. market.

“I think Cadillac is going to be really great for us and for the sport,” he said, quoted by Motorsport.com.

“They were here this past weekend for the World Endurance Championship race. I think they’re going to be very engaged as a brand, which could be great.

©Cadillac

“I think about all the possibilities of things we can do together because they’re a manufacturer; from the Hot Lap ride, which could be a Cadillac ride, to a Cadillac garage tour, to having a focus on getting an American driver. That constellation is going to be very good for us.”

The American Driver Factor

While Cadillac’s inaugural F1 line-up will not feature a U.S. racer, the team has signed IndyCar star Colton Herta as its test driver. The young American will step away from Andretti Global to focus on building toward F1 through an F2 campaign, free practice runs, and a private testing programme.

The 25-year-old story carries particular resonance in Austin: he won his first IndyCar race at COTA as a teenager. Epstein believes that if an American driver can rise to the top in F1, the effect on U.S. interest could be transformational.

Bobby Epstein, co-founder and chairman of the Circuit of the Americas.

“For the sport’s sake, separate from just COTA and the Grand Prix at our track, if there were an American champion driver, that would go a lot farther,” Epstein said. “That would take it to the next level.”

Cadillac enters an ultra-competitive arena in 2026, up against ten established F1 powerhouses. Still, Epstein doesn’t expect the team to languish at the back of the grid, especially with Ferrari supplying its first engines.

“I don’t expect them to be the last place team,” he predicted.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.