For weeks now, Cadillac has been playing with the nerves of several drivers, delaying the announcement of its line-up for its first season in Formula 1.
While one of the two seats is expected to go to an experienced driver - likely Sergio Perez or Valtteri Bottas - the identity of the second driver remains a mystery.
Several names have been floated, including that of Mick Schumacher, who has 43 F1 starts to his name with Haas from the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Since last year, the 26-year-old has been representing Alpine in the World Endurance Championship, but Schumacher has made no secret of his determination to get his foot back in the F1 door at all costs.
So yes, the chances of seeing Mick Schumacher join the Cadillac F1 set-up are real. However, The Race has learned that the 2020 Formula 2 champion would most likely have to settle for a reserve and development driver role, similar to the one he held at Mercedes in 2023 and 2024 after he left Haas and his role in Ferrari's driver academy.
It's a situation far from unappealing, as Schumacher could in parallel continue his WEC journey, a championship in which he has shone, notably with three podium finishes.
But it would not be with Alpine. At the time of writing, Schumacher appears to be the number-one option to replace 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button at Cadillac Team Jota.
That would be a win-win deal for both parties. Cadillac's F1 team would be able to draw on the experience he gained at Mercedes, while Schumacher could take on a "dual programme" more in line with his ambitions.
After all, it would allow him to remain close to the F1 world that still drives him, while joining one of the WEC's top teams - one that claimed pole position at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours and a victory at the most recent round, the São Paulo 6 Hours.
If so, we can bet that he will replace Button in the #38 V-Series.R and race alongside double Le Mans winner Earl Bamber and former F1 driver and four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais.
