No one has experience fitting a five-foot mouse into a cockpit.

BURBANK—Steamboat Willie, the original Mickey-inspiring menace with a steering wheel addiction, is reportedly in advanced talks with the Cadillac F1 team for a 2026 race seat.

The rumor gained traction following the newly inked deal between Disney and Formula 1, which promises “innovative content integrations” across Disney’s vast media empire. Apparently, “content integration” now includes giving a cartoon mouse from 1928 a shot at Monaco.

“Willie represents the pioneering spirit of motorsport,” said Cadillac spokesperson Trent Granger. “He’s been behind the wheel longer than anyone on the grid. Yes, it was mostly tugboats, but the fundamentals are there. Honestly, he'd pair up well with Checo Pérez.”

Sources close to the deal say Disney pushed hard for the crossover, reportedly citing “brand synergy,” “nostalgia value,” and “Do it or we’ll stop giving you money.”

“People keep asking if it’s safe,” said Disney rep Marisol Rivera. “He can’t get hurt. We’ve digitally remastered his reflexes.”

Team insiders say negotiations are being held up by licensing issues and concerns that Willie’s whistle might violate FIA decibel limits. Additionally, no one has experience fitting a five-foot mouse into a cockpit—or getting the helmet past his ears.

“He doesn’t blink,” noted future Cadillac reserve driver Liam Lawson. “I tried making eye contact. He just tilted his head and tooted that little horn. It’s... unsettling.”

Critics have called the move a desperate PR stunt. “This is what happens when corporate synergy gets behind the wheel,” said F1 analyst Diego Montes. “First it’s Steamboat Willie—next it’s Goofy in charge of the FIA.”

Still, the garage seems cautiously optimistic. “He doesn’t complain, doesn’t tweet, and he’s never asked for a simulator session,” said one engineer. “We just haven’t figured out how to mount this steamboat wheel yet.”

When reached for comment, Steamboat Willie simply whistled, spun the wheel furiously, and pointed at his hand as if to say, “Pay me, bitch.” Sources close to the situation say that’s just how Disney is.

If finalized, Willie will become the first silent-era cartoon to compete in F1—marking yet another strange chapter in a sport that once gave Nikita Mazepin a contract.