Cadillac have confirmed that Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will lead their driver line-up for the team’s debut Formula 1 campaign in 2026.
The experienced pair will return to the grid after a year on the sidelines. Perez was dropped by Red Bull at the end of a disappointing 2024 season, just months after signing a contract extension. Bottas, meanwhile, has been serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver in 2025 following the end of his deal with Sauber.
Both drivers have signed multi-year contracts, according to Sky Sports News, as Cadillac, entering as the sport’s 11th team alongside American car giant General Motors, prioritise experience in their first season.
Team principal Graeme Lowdon described the double signing as a “bold signal of intent” and praised the pair’s leadership and racecraft. “They have seen it all and they know what it takes to succeed in Formula 1,” he said. “More importantly, they understand what it means to help build a team. Their leadership, feedback, race-hardened instincts and of course their speed will be invaluable as we bring this team to life.”
CEO Dan Towriss added, “This moment marks more than just a lineup announcement. It is the beginning of a bold new chapter in American motorsport.”
Some had expected Cadillac to sign a US driver, but the new outfit have instead opted for experience. Perez and Bottas bring with them a combined 527 race starts, 106 podiums and 16 wins.
Perez, 35, will begin his 15th F1 season with the new team. The Mexican driver has six Grand Prix victories to his name and previously raced for Sauber, McLaren, Force India and Racing Point. He finished second in the 2023 Drivers’ Championship behind team-mate Max Verstappen as Red Bull secured the constructors’ title.
“Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career,” said Perez. “From our first conversations, I could sense the passion and determination behind this project. It is an honour to be part of building a team that can develop together so that, in time, we will fight at the very front.”
He added, “Cadillac is a legendary name in American motorsport and to help bring such a fantastic company to Formula 1 is a huge responsibility, one I am confident of taking on. I am proud to be part of such an ambitious and meaningful project from the very beginning. I am really pleased to be part of such a dynamic line-up and together I believe we can help shape this team into a real contender, the team of the Americas. We are counting on support from across the continent and we want to make everyone proud.”
Bottas, who turns 36 on Thursday, made his F1 debut with Williams in 2013 and raced alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes from 2017 to 2021. He has 10 wins and 20 pole positions, and twice finished as runner-up in the championship before moving to Sauber.
“From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different, something ambitious but also grounded,” said Bottas. “This is not just a racing project, it is a long-term vision. It is not every day that you get a chance to be part of something being built from the ground up and helping shape it into something that truly belongs on the F1 grid.”
He continued, “I have had the honour of working with some of the best teams in the world and I can already see the same professionalism and hunger here. This is an iconic brand with a big legacy in American motorsport and to be a part of the story as it enters the world stage of F1 is incredibly special for me.”