One week into the summer break, Cadillac are yet to make any announcements about their 2026 line-up. For several months now, Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon has been questioned on his driver shortlist for next year.

Lowdon has done little to narrow down Cadillac’s options ahead, only emphasising that a multitude of contenders are being considered.

Indeed, there are new names being mentioned as candidates – including McLaren junior Alex Dunne.

Dunne on Cadillac’s radar ahead of 2026

In last year’s Formula 2 Championship, there was immense coverage about the drivers fighting for a place in Formula 1.

The excitement surrounding the likes of Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman – alongside the breakout performances from Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar – generated significant focus.

Unlike last season, however, the conversation surrounding this year’s F2 grid has been relatively limited.

Alex Dunne in Monaco. (Photo by Alastair Staley/LAT Images)

To some extent, this is because there are already so many rookies in F1.

In this sense, the hunger for more young drivers – at least amongst commentators and media analysis – has become less acute.

Of course, regardless of consensus, Formula 2 drivers continue to fight for their F1 aspirations.

With most of the season complete, one of the stand-out performers in 2025 has been Alex Dunne.

The 19-year-old is currently 5th in the standings, only 30 points behind Fornaroli in first – a very solid tally for a rookie.

As the likes of Piastri, Bortoleto and Hadjar have shown in recent years, the F2 drivers most likely to be competitive in F1 are those who contend for the F2 Championship as rookies.

Despite his youth, there is no denying that Dunne has speed in abundance. His two Feature Race victories and two Pole Positions are evidence of this.

If anything, Dunne’s only major point of criticism is the number of incidents that he’s been involved in.

Generally speaking, his aggressive approach to wheel-to-wheel racing has been costly in his battle for the title.

Regardless, his pace is not to be overlooked, and GPBlog report that Cadillac are in negotiations with the McLaren junior.

Because of McLaren’s current driver line-up, Dunne’s chances of joining F1 with the papaya team are unlikely.

This means that finding a seat elsewhere is essential, which is why contract talks with Cadillac are set to advance this summer.

Cadillac must make a key decision

Of course, Dunne is not the only person under consideration at Cadillac. At this stage, a long list of names have been associated with the US project.

Alex Dunne prepares to drive during the Formula E Berlin Rookie Test in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andrew Ferraro/LAT Images)

Broadly speaking, the drivers previously mentioned – such as Bottas, Perez  and Drugovich – are still firmly in contention.

Cadillac continue to monitor and explore these options, although their priorities for 2026 are yet to be fully defined.

The most important question concerning their 2026 line-up is whether they want two experienced drivers, or if they want a combination of youth and experience.

If Cadillac want a youngster alongside a veteran, the likes of Dunne, Drugovich and Jak Crawford will be in direct competition.

Considering that Dunne is contending for this year’s Formula 2 Championship, he has every opportunity to boost his chances.

One of the luxuries that Graeme Lowdon’s team currently enjoy, is that most teams are not active in the driver market.

This gives Cadillac some breathing space to bide their time before making a final decision.

Main photo: Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E (via McLaren media gallery)