Cadillac F1 hires former Leclerc race engineer Xavier Marcos Padros as Chief Race Engineer

Cadillac has secured a key technical leader for its 2026 Formula 1 entry, appointing Xavier Marcos Padros—the former race engineer for Charles Leclerc at Ferrari—as its Chief Race Engineer. The move signals the American team's serious intent to build a competitive operation from the ground up by recruiting proven talent from the front of the F1 grid.

Why it matters:

Hiring a senior engineer with direct experience in a championship-contending team provides Cadillac with invaluable operational knowledge and technical credibility. Marcos Padros was instrumental in Leclerc's five Grand Prix wins and understands the pressures of competing at the highest level, which will be critical for a new team navigating its debut season and establishing processes under the intense spotlight of F1.

The details:

• Xavier Marcos Padros spent nearly five seasons as Charles Leclerc's race engineer at Ferrari before leaving the role midway through 2024.
• He brings extensive F1 experience, having also worked as a performance engineer for Felipe Massa at Williams and with the now-defunct HRT team earlier in his career.
• After his stint as Leclerc's engineer, he transitioned within Ferrari to other technical roles before joining Cadillac in January 2025.
• His initial role at Cadillac was as Technical Director for the V-Series.R endurance racing program, overseeing its World Endurance Championship and IMSA campaigns.
• He was reportedly present at Cadillac's first TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) session in Imola last month, where Sergio Perez drove a disguised Ferrari SF-23.

The big picture:

Cadillac is assembling a technical and operational team that blends F1 experience with motorsport expertise from other series. The driver lineup of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will be supported by race engineers Carlo Pasetti (from Aston Martin) and John Howard (from Alpine), respectively. Furthermore, the team has enlisted former IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud for development and simulator work. This structure aims to create a well-rounded team capable of accelerating its learning curve.

What's next:

With the Chief Race Engineer position now filled, Cadillac's focus will intensify on finalizing its 2026 car design and building its operational team. The real test will come when the car hits the track for pre-season testing, where Marcos Padros's experience in managing race weekends from the pit wall will be immediately put to use. His appointment is a clear statement that Cadillac aims to be a competitive player, not just a grid-filler, from its first season.