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Ferrari grooming Driver Academy member for a 2026 Cadillac F1 seat


Method 1 is poised to increase its grid in 2026, with an eleventh crew set to make its debut following an settlement in precept with Common Motors. The American automotive big is heading in the right direction to enter the game below the Cadillac F1 banner, marking a serious milestone for each the corporate and the collection.

After months of uncertainty surrounding Andretti’s bid for entry, it now seems that Cadillac would be the crew to deliver recent competitors to the paddock. With Common Motors’ huge assets and popularity, the transfer may have important implications—not just for the aggressive panorama but additionally for Method 1’s continued development in america.

Liberty Media has already taken main steps to increase F1’s footprint in North America, including three U.S.-based races to the calendar in Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas. Together with the prevailing rounds in Montreal and Mexico Metropolis, the presence of a full-fledged American crew would additional solidify the game’s standing within the area.

One of the crucial urgent selections for newly appointed crew principal Graeme Lowdon will probably be deciding on the drivers to steer Cadillac F1 in its inaugural marketing campaign.

Mario Andretti has been vocal in his help for Colton Herta, hoping the IndyCar star can meet Cadillac’s need to have at the very least one American driver within the lineup. Nevertheless, for Colton Herta to safe a spot on the 2026 Method 1 grid, he might want to ship a standout efficiency within the 2025 IndyCar season to build up the mandatory FIA superlicence factors.

One other high-profile title linked to Cadillac is Sergio Perez, along with his administration reportedly exploring choices for him to safe a seat. Nevertheless, an exterior issue may affect the crew’s driver decisions—their technical partnership with Ferrari.

Since Common Motors’ in-house energy unit is not going to be prepared in time for 2026, Cadillac will initially run Ferrari engines, mirroring the connection Haas has maintained with the Italian producer. This connection has already performed a vital position in Oliver Bearman securing a full-time F1 seat, and the Maranello crew could now be positioning one other rising expertise for the same alternative.

After collaborating in a current check at Barcelona, Dino Beganovic seems to be rising as a possible candidate for Cadillac’s 2026 lineup. The Swedish driver, who has progressed by Ferrari’s junior ranks, may comply with in Bearman’s footsteps, making his Method 1 debut by a Ferrari-affiliated crew.

With Cadillac’s preparations accelerating, Dino Beganovic’s trajectory will probably be one to observe as Ferrari probably strains up its subsequent star for a seat on the 2026 grid.

Talking on a current episode of The Race F1 Podcast, journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm shared his ideas on Dino Beganovic’s current check and the potential implications for his future. He famous that Ferrari’s buyer engine deal for the approaching years had made him think about a risk that had been on his thoughts for some time.

In response to Mitchell-Malm, Beganovic had unexpectedly emerged on Ferrari’s radar from an F1 perspective. Whereas the Swedish driver had at all times been thought of good reasonably than distinctive, his trajectory in junior classes had not marked him as a standout prospect. His Method 3 marketing campaign had been stable however by no means translated into a real title problem, and his 2024 season had been significantly tough, with a number of setbacks hindering his progress.

Nevertheless, Mitchell-Malm identified that Beganovic had already accomplished a big quantity of simulator work with Ferrari this yr. He had additionally taken half in a check at Barcelona, working on the very finish of a session during which Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc drove the 2023 Ferrari. Additional checks and Friday observe outings with the crew have been reportedly on the horizon.

Mitchell-Malm urged that Beganovic might need accomplished simply sufficient to place himself on the entrance of the queue for the subsequent main Ferrari alternatives. If he carried out nicely in his F1 trials with the crew this yr, he may very well be a powerful candidate for a seat at a Ferrari-powered buyer crew. Given Ferrari’s historical past of inserting younger drivers in affiliated groups, Mitchell-Malm didn’t rule out the opportunity of Beganovic securing a drive with Cadillac in 2026—supplied all the pieces aligned in his favor.

Who Is Ferrari Junior Dino Beganovic, and Might He Be a Sturdy Candidate for Cadillac in 2026?

Dino Beganovic’s current ascent inside Ferrari’s ranks has come as one thing of a shock, as Scott Mitchell-Malm identified. Whereas he received’t be taking up a reserve driver position for Ferrari in 2025—positions that may as a substitute be crammed by Antonio Giovinazzi and Zhou Guanyu—his participation within the crew’s current check session in Barcelona means that Ferrari sees important potential in him.

At 21 years previous, Beganovic competes below the Swedish flag, although he additionally holds Bosnian nationality. His reference to Ferrari dates again to early 2020, when the Scuderia introduced him into their junior program following a profitable karting profession that noticed him declare two championship titles in 2019. His first full season in single-seaters was equally spectacular, as he completed third within the Italian F4 Championship behind present Method 2 competitor Gabriele Mini.

Beganovic’s most notable achievement up to now got here in 2022 when he secured the Method Regional European Championship (FRECA) title, incomes himself a step as much as Method 3. Nevertheless, his two seasons at that degree failed to provide headline-grabbing outcomes, as he struggled to mount a critical title problem.

Regardless of this, his transition to Method 2 on the finish of 2024 confirmed promise, as he competed within the remaining two rounds and delivered a a lot stronger impression. If he hopes to be in rivalry for a seat with Cadillac in 2026, nevertheless, there’s little margin for error—he’ll nearly actually must win the Method 2 championship this season to solidify his case for a Method 1 promotion.

Ferrari grooming Driver Academy member Dino Beganovic for a 2026 Cadillac F1 seat | ScuderiaFans.com

Elena Rossi

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