Cadillac Formula 1 Team announced the long-anticipated news that they have signed Valtteri Bottas and Sergio PErez as their drivers for teh 2026 season.
It’s a good move to hire veteran drivers with experience, car development insight, and real pace to help the team as they wade into the tepid waters of F1.
The team will be consumed with the new regulations, new engine development and getting the chassis right in 2026. Valtteri and Sergio will be very helpful in this process.
As the team move toward their own power unit, Bottas and Perez will equally be helpful as consistent benchmarks. What Cadillac are attempting is a herculean task and with all the parameters around chassis, suspension, aero and power, it will be nice to have consistent, seasoned drivers.
Here is Cadillac’s announcement:
The Cadillac Formula 1® Team today announced the signing of two, star drivers – 10-time Grand Prix winner Valtteri Bottas and fellow F1® standout and six-time Grand Prix winner Sergio “Checo” Pérez – to lead the team into its debut season in Formula 1® in 2026.
Together, Bottas and Pérez bring an unmatched blend of experience, leadership and technical acumen, positioning the Cadillac Formula 1® Team to hit the ground running as it joins the world’s most elite racing series. With more than 500 combined Grand Prix starts, over 100 podiums and deep development expertise, the pair will play a central role in shaping the team’s competitive foundation from day one.
“From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1® Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded,” said Bottas. “This isn’t just a racing project; it’s a long-term vision. It’s 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. “I’ve had the honor 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. I’m looking forward to representing the American spirit of racing on the greatest circuits in the world. I’d also like to thank Mercedes for their unwavering support and sportsmanship in facilitating such an exciting step.”
Pérez added: “Joining the Cadillac Formula 1® Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career. From our first conversations, I could sense the passion and determination behind this project. It’s an honor to be part of a building a team that can develop together so that, in time, we will fight at the very front. 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’m confident of taking on. I’m proud to be part of such an ambitious and meaningful project from the very beginning. I’m 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’re counting on support from across the continent – and we want to make everyone proud.”
Backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors (GM), the Cadillac Formula 1® Team is building from the ground up and creating a culture rooted in innovation and performance.
The team will operate out of three key motorsport hubs: Fishers, Indiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Silverstone, UK – merging American engineering ingenuity with European racing expertise.
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