Cadillac Names Ex-Ferrari Engineer Xavier Marcos Padros Chief Race Engineer for 2026 F1 Entry

The appointment signals a bid to fuse proven F1 racecraft with Cadillac’s endurance program as the new team readies for its debut.

Overview

Marcos Padros, Charles Leclerc’s former Ferrari race engineer credited with five Grand Prix wins, has been installed as Cadillac’s Chief Race Engineer.
After leaving Ferrari in mid-2024, he joined Cadillac in January 2025 as Technical Director of the V-Series.R program spanning WEC and IMSA.
Reports indicate he attended Cadillac’s initial TPC session at Imola, where Sergio Perez tested a blacked-out Ferrari SF-23 as part of 2026 preparations.
Cadillac’s race-engineer pairings are set with Sergio Perez working with Carlo Pasetti from Aston Martin and Valtteri Bottas teamed with former Alpine engineer John Howard.
The driver support group includes Simon Pagenaud in development and simulator duties and Colton Herta as reserve, with F2 running planned to secure Super Licence points.