Cadillac call up veterans for first season

Cadillac will take on Formula 1 for the first time with a pair of returning veterans behind the wheel in Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

As Cadillac becomes the first new F1 team in a decade since fellow Americans Haas, it will make its debut with 16 Grand Prix wins and 527 starts between them.

Both Bottas and Perez are 35 and are determined to make an impact, having lost seats last year and spent 2025 on the sidelines.

The pair will lead the new American team led by former Marussia leader Graeme Lowdon, with the might of General Motors behind them in 2026.

Perez makes a high-profile return after being dropped by Red Bull following four seasons alongside Max Verstappen, where he took all-but one of his six wins.

The Mexican is delighted to make a comeback as Cadillac becomes his fifth team after stints at Sauber, McLaren, Force India/Racing Point and Red Bull.

“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’s an honour to be part of 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.”

Bottas has reunited with Mercedes as a reserve driver after three years at Sauber.

The Finn achieved his greatest success alongside Lewis Hamilton, collecting 10 wins and 58 podiums from 2017-2021 before being replaced by George Russell.

Bottas made a name for himself at a Williams squad that rose from the back of the grid and is looking to do the same at Cadillac.

“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 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. 

“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.”

The big, but expected, news arrives ahead of F1’s return from the summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend.

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