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Cadillac F1 confirms Bottas, Perez for 2026

Cadillac has confirmed its first driver line-up in Formula 1 will be formed by Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas in 2026.

F1’s newest entrant will join the grid next season, and has been targeting experience in at least one of its two race seats as it continues to build the team from scratch. The General Motors and TWG Motorsports backed outfit has now signed a pair of multiple race-winners, with six-time winner Perez returning to the grid after being dropped by Red Bull at the end of last season.

“Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career,” Perez said. “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.”

Alongside Perez will be former Mercedes, Williams and Sauber driver Bottas, who has 10 wins to his name and a further 67 podiums, culminating in a combined total of over 100 podiums and more than 500 race starts between the pair.

Perez will return to the F1` grid for the first time since splitting with Red Bull at the end of 2024. Mark Thompson/Getty Images

“From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded,” Bottas said. “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.”

Talks with Mercedes are ongoing that could allow Bottas to start work with Cadillac prior to the end of the current season, and team principal Graeme Lowdon says both drivers will play a major role in the new team’s development.

“Signing two very experienced racers like Bottas and Checo is a bold signal of intent,” Lowdon said. “They’ve seen it all and they know what it takes to succeed in Formula 1. But 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. A big thank you to the team at Mercedes for their co-operation and understanding.”