Cadillac has signed experienced pairs Valteri Bottas and Sergio Perez to form the driver lineup for their 2026 debut Formula 1 season.
The team supported by General Motors, part of the TWG Motorsports portfolio, is preparing to join the grid next year after receiving final entry approval from FIA and Formula 1 management in March. While many drivers link to the race seating, the team’s principal, Graeme Lowdon, often expressed his preference for an experienced name for at least one of the team’s first seasons.
The racers understand that after discussions with multiple drivers, the Cadillac F1 team chose to prioritize their experiences in both race seats.
Both drivers lost their seats at the end of last season – Bottas dropped Sauber and Perez to Red Bull, but will bring a 527 Grand Prix start and 16 wins to the latest teams on the grid.
Perez (left) and Bottas, depicted here in 2021, will bring many F1 experiences with top-level teams. Steve Etherington/Getty Images
Bottas won 10 times with Mercedes, but Perez won five at Red Bull and one victory in race points, marking the two most experienced drivers who are currently not racing in Formula 1. Cadillac has analyzed a number of drivers who have recently gained experience within their current team in race or development roles, including Mick Schumacher, Zhou Guanyu, Jack Doohan, Franco Colapinto, Felipe Dragovich, Jak Crawford, and Fred Vesti.
Bottas has been a spare driver for Mercedes this season, but Perez has taken a year after his Red Bull contract ended early. Alternatives Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have been struggling with Max Verstappen since Perez left, and Red Bull continues to slide from the competitive edge that began last year.
An announcement about the Cadillac driver lineup could come as early as next week ahead of Zandvort’s reopening of the 2025 season at the Dutch Grand Prix.