Rumours had circulated in recent weeks that Horner — ousted by Red Bull earlier this year after more than two decades in charge — could resurface at the helm of the American manufacturer’s works entry.
But Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsport, which operates Cadillac’s F1 team, dismissed the suggestion outright during a press conference discussing the squad’s first driver line-up.
“There have been no talks with Christian Horner, no plans to do that,” Towriss said.
“So I’d like to officially shut down that rumour. Our support, belief, backing is 100 percent in Graeme Lowdon.”
Lowdon, who served as the CEO of Virgin/Marussia/Manor in the 2010s, has overseen Cadillac’s F1 build-up from the ground up, steering staffing, facilities and driver recruitment.
Under his watch, the team has already been running ‘race-ready’ weekend simulations ahead of its 2026 grid debut.
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That debut will be spearheaded by Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, who were officially confirmed as Cadillac’s inaugural driver pairing on Tuesday.
Towriss explained that the team’s search included more than 15 candidates before they narrowed the search down to four pairings that balanced youth and experience.
He explained that Bottas and Perez emerged after a “pressure-tested” process weighing leadership, performance and technical feedback.
“We believe their experience, their leadership and their technical acumen are really what we need,” Towriss said. “It’s the right combination, the right drivers at the right time.”
General Motors president Mark Reuss echoed that sentiment, stressing the value of experienced feedback in shaping Cadillac’s first F1 car.
“That input from experienced drivers into vehicle development is going to be a landmark in the history books here for Cadillac,” Reuss said.
Towriss also added that while a pathway for an American driver remains a long-term priority, proven experience was essential for the debut campaign.
“It’s important to us to make sure there’s a pathway for an American driver into Formula 1 and we’ll be working on that,” he said.
“But I think for this inaugural season, for what the team needs, and again, really what these drivers bring, this was the right combination for our team.”
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