Brundle backs Cadillac’s Bottas–Perez pairing as the right call for a brand-new team
Cadillac’s first Formula 1 driver lineup is set, and it’s a statement of intent rather than a gamble. Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will spearhead the American brand’s 2026 debut, and Martin Brundle gave it the nod you’d expect from someone who’s seen plenty of start-ups learn the hard way.
“That’s a great driver lineup,” the Sky F1 pundit wrote, before spelling out the logic. Year one is no place for experiments. “The team needs experience and direction in year one and can’t afford to have rookies damaging cars when all the resources will be heavily stretched. They’ll probably have to park their early frustrations as the team gets up and running, especially with such a dramatic regulation reset.”
It’s hard to argue. Between them, Bottas and Perez have 527 grand prix starts, six wins for Perez and 10 for Bottas, and enough setup mileage to guide a new operation through the teething phase that inevitably follows an F1 launch—never mind one landing on the grid alongside a sweeping rules overhaul.
Bottas returns after his Sauber stint ended in 2024 and a spell as Mercedes’ reserve. The Finn didn’t hide his enthusiasm for the scope of the project: “From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded. This isn’t just a racing project; it’s a long-term vision.” He talked of helping build a team “from the ground up,” praised the “professionalism and hunger,” and tipped his hat to Mercedes for smoothing the move.
Perez, out of Red Bull at the end of last season, sounded just as energised by the fresh start. “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,” he said. Calling Cadillac a “legendary name in American motorsport,” Perez framed the outfit as “the team of the Americas” and made the pitch for continental backing: “We’re counting on support from across the continent – and we want to make everyone proud.”
The choice feels pragmatic and, frankly, necessary. Launching a new team under new regulations is like juggling with oven gloves: parts supply is tight, correlation gremlins show up uninvited, and every crash test or bodywork tweak eats budget and time. Veterans buy you cleaner feedback loops and fewer self-inflicted wounds.
Will Bottas and Perez need patience? Absolutely. Early 2026 may be lean while systems bed in and the car finds its window. But Cadillac hasn’t gone shopping for fireworks; it’s hired two drivers who know how to build a weekend, nurse a program through rough patches, and keep the bigger picture in focus.
The countdown’s on. If Cadillac’s inaugural laps are more foundation-laying than headline-chasing, that’s by design. With Bottas and Perez, the new kid on the block starts with a steady hand on the wheel.
