Russell backs Vesti for Cadillac seat as Herta struggles in Mexico FP1

George Russell has thrown his public support behind Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti as a contender for Cadillac’s open seat in the 2027 Formula 1 season, following a strong showing from the Dane in Friday practice at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Vesti stepped into Russell’s car for FP1 in Mexico City and finished third, just 0.074 seconds behind Mercedes stablemate Kimi Antonelli and 0.733s off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, courtesy of a late soft-tyre lap after completing extensive long-run work.

“He did a really good job,” Russell said. “I know he’s really fighting hard to be in with a shot potentially of the Cadillac seat, and I think he deserves his chance. He’s put a lot of effort in working with our team, we all respect him very highly; most FP1 sessions that he’s done, he’s had the brunt of the work and not really getting performance runs in.”

Russell added that he had specifically asked the team to give Vesti a clear opportunity to demonstrate his pace. “I said to the team, ‘I want to ensure that he gets an opportunity to show what he can do — that’s the least that we could do’.” Vesti described himself as “extremely happy” after the session.

Cadillac confirmed Sergio Perez on a contract extension earlier this week but has yet to name his 2027 team-mate. Valtteri Bottas remains a candidate, while the 24-year-old Vesti — who finished runner-up in the 2023 Formula 2 standings — has been building his case through seven FP1 appearances and Hypercar duties with the American outfit.

The contrast with Colton Herta’s Friday was stark. The former IndyCar star, standing in for Bottas, finished last on the timesheet, 3.237 seconds off the pace and 0.970s behind 18th-placed Perez. Herta currently lacks a superlicence, though he is expected to qualify for one by contesting FP1 in Brazil next week, keeping his candidacy alive.

“I want to do the best I can for the team,” Herta said. “Every time I get in the car, I want to be in Formula 1 — that’s the goal. A lot of discussions are happening and a lot of stuff is going on outside of what I can control. I’m just trying to do my best inside the car and hope that shows for something.”

Esteban Ocon, who is departing Haas, had also been linked with the Cadillac drive, but is now understood to be heading toward a reserve role at Aston Martin instead, narrowing the field further as Cadillac weighs its options.