Cadillac poised to unveil 2026 F1 drivers: Perez and Bottas set to lead the launch
The guessing game is just about over. Cadillac is expected to pull the covers off its first Formula 1 driver line-up for 2026 as early as today, with Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas set to front the American manufacturer’s debut.
PlanetF1.com’s understanding is that Perez has agreed terms to return to the grid after his Red Bull chapter ended ahead of 2025. He took a breath, hired a new manager over the summer and weighed his options—never ruling out a comeback. Those close to him always argued there was still plenty of mileage left, and a start-up operation was exactly the kind of environment where his blend of experience, calm under pressure and setup feel could matter from day one. Otmar Szafnauer, who ran Perez through the Force India/Racing Point years, said as much recently: the right surroundings, a new team, a steady hand—box ticked, ticked, ticked.
Bottas completes the set. After his Sauber stint ended at the close of 2024, the Finn moved into a reserve role at the Brackley outfit he helped steer to multiple titles between 2017 and 2021 while keeping his name in the shop window. He and Cadillac boss Lowdon have been spotted talking more than once this season, and the logic is undeniable. Bottas brings championship-team habits and a reputation for extracting consistent points from imperfect machinery—exactly what you want when you’re building from zero. TWG Global CEO Dan Towriss is understood to have backed the move, too.
Bottas hasn’t exactly downplayed it. He’s leaned into the rumor mill with a wink—praising a Cadillac SUV on social media here, dodging a cheeky grid question from Nico Rosberg there. Behind the jokes, the intent was obvious. Mercedes’ Bradley Lord even acknowledged he was a “front‑running candidate” for a 2026 race seat, while making clear Brackley would have kept him involved if the race drive didn’t materialize.
Put simply: if you’re launching an F1 team in 2026, Perez-Bottas makes sense. You get a proven racer who knows how to fight at the front and a serial team player who knows what “good” looks and feels like inside a title-winning operation. No passengers, no learning-on-the-job drama—just two drivers who’ll turn up, lead the programme and give the engineers clean reads as the new regulations bite.
Announcements are imminent. And if Cadillac wanted credibility on day one, this pairing is a fast way to get it.
