17/09/2025
NEWS STORY
Circuit of the Americas boss, Bobby Epstein believes that Cadillac's arrival on the grid next year will prove positive for the Texas circuit.
Much is being made of the new team's national identity, even though there is already an American team on the grid, with Epstein believing that the new outfit, complete with Finnish and Mexican drivers, will give COTA a boost.
"I think Cadillac is going to be really great for us and for the sport," he said, according to 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.
"I think about all the possibilities of things we can do together because they're a manufacturer," he added, "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 may be a couple of years away, as test driver Colton Herta heads to F2 from IndyCar as part of his preparation for promotion to the pinnacle of motorsport.
Nonetheless, the idea of an American driver in an American car on the grid for the United States Grand Prix is a mouth-watering prospect for the boss of a track which previously had to host pop concerts in a bid to get people through the turnstiles over the race weekend.
"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," said Epstein. "That would take it to the next level."
Despite widespread scepticism in terms of Cadillac's competitiveness, certainly in the first few seasons, Epstein is confident.
"I don't expect them to be the last place team," he said.