Eastwood named Cadillac Formula 1 simulator driver

Northern Ireland's Charlie Eastwood has been named as one of three simulator drivers for Cadillac's new Formula 1 team.

Eastwood competes in the World Endurance Championship, is a winner at the Le Mans 24 hour race and previously worked with the Mercedes F1 team as a simulator driver.

American manufacturer Cadillac will join the Formula 1 grid in 2026 and named multiple race winners Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as their drivers.

Former Indycar champion Simon Pagenaud and ex-Haas F1 reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi will make up the simulator team alongside Eastwood, while Indycar race winner Colton Herta will be the team's test driver.

Simulator drivers work at the factory of Formula 1 teams to develop the car and test new parts, and on race weekends they provide support to the race drivers by testing set-ups linked to the real-world Grand Prix.

Eastwood said he was "extremely honoured" to be involved with the Cadillac F1 project.

"I will be able to contribute to their Formula 1 entry by supporting the team through simulator work and development programs leaning on past experiences," said Eastwood, 30.

"I want to thank Cadillac for the trust they have placed in me, especially at such an important time."

Eastwood is a factory driver for Corvette, a sister brand of Cadillac under the General Motors banner, in the World Endurance Championship and won the most recent round in Fuji in the LMGT3 class.

He also finished third at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June, a race he won with Aston Martin in 2020.