Cadillac confirms Bottas and Perez for 2026 F1 debut

The nascent Cadillac F1 team has officially confirmed series veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will form its experienced driver line-up for its 2026 debut season.

As previously reported by Autosport, both Perez and Bottas had been on the verge of an F1 return for some time as the series' 11th team is banking on experience to get it up to speed during what will be a challenging debut season next year.

Bottas is a veteran of 246 grand prix starts, claiming 67 podiums as well as 10 wins - the latter all with Mercedes. The Finn, who turns 36 later this week, left Sauber at the end of 2024 and returned to Mercedes as a reserve driver, which agreed to release him for a full grand prix return.

"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."

Meanwhile, Perez was a free agent after being released by Red Bull due to spiralling performances alongside Max Verstappen last year, with the 35-year-old Mexican keen to make a fresh start in F1 after a first stint spanning 14 years and 281 grand prix starts. Perez claimed a maiden win for Racing Point at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix before adding five more wins to his tally with Red Bull, and stepped onto a grand prix podium on 39 occasions.

Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez in 2022

Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images

“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.”