F1 fans demand Cadillac create a 2026 ‘dream team’ by pairing one McLaren driver with Sergio Perez

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Formula 1 is returning to the United States for the first time in 2025 this weekend ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

After five rounds, McLaren star Oscar Piastri currently leads the drivers’ championship from Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, and the Australian’s team have a significant lead in the team standings already.

There are plenty of interesting talking points heading into the Miami Grand Prix.

Doubts have been raised once again about Jack Doohan’s future at Alpine after a key Franco Colapinto sponsor suggested he would be racing at Imola, which is the Grand Prix that follows Miami.

Ferrari are likely to be in the spotlight once again as they hope Lewis Hamilton can emulate his Sprint Race victory in China and put his tough start to life as a Scuderia driver behind him.

Hamilton was told the homework he needed to do before the Miami Grand Prix to get up to speed, but trying to unlearn 12 years of practices from his time at Mercedes in just a few months has proved to be incredibly tricky.

However, the spotlight might end up focusing on Formula 1’s future 11th team in Florida this weekend.

Cadillac have teased a big announcement ahead of Sunday’s race, and many fans believe it might have something to do with former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

Fans demand Cadillac put together F1 ‘dream team’ including Sergio Perez for the 2026 season

Cadillac released a video on social media on Wednesday teasing something related to their Formula 1 team which will be revealed on 3 May at the Miami Grand Prix.

Many of the comments were from Mexican fans demanding that the team announce Sergio Perez as one of their two new drivers.

However, there was plenty of excitement surrounding his fellow countryman and McLaren reserve driver Pato O’Ward, with one fan stating, “We want Checo! And Pato! The dream team!!!! 2026”

“I’m waiting for Checo, don’t disappoint me please,” another fan replied, while one comment read, “Waiting for Checo to be announced.”

“But are they going to announce it in Checo? And now on to Pato O’Ward,” stated another fan, and this was echoed by one reply which simply said, “Checo and Pato O’Ward please!”

“But let them confirm the Pacheco,” concluded another supporter, who combined the two Mexican drivers’ names to create their own nickname, similar to Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon’s moniker at Williams this season.

READ MORE: Sergio Perez’s life outside F1 from net worth to nickname

Does signing Sergio Perez and Pato O’Ward make sense for Cadillac F1 in 2026?

Cadillac will enter Formula 1 at a disadvantage to their 10 rivals in the paddock after what happened in the driver’s market last season.

With so many drivers changing teams and signing multi-year contracts, Cadillac’s options are limited.

However, Perez has proven himself as a dependable driver during his Formula 1 career, and the struggles Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have endured at Red Bull this season have gone some way to repairing his damaged reputation.

Perez’s sponsors have held initial talks with Cadillac over a race seat next year, and with the team desperate to sign a more experienced driver, he fits the bill.

Pato O’Ward has Formula 1 experience through his connections with McLaren, but Piastri and Norris’ success in recent years means it’s very unlikely he’ll earn a call-up to Andrea Stella’s team any time soon.

Mario Andretti has suggested O’Ward is an option for Cadillac, and his record in IndyCar speaks for itself.

He’s secured seven wins and 27 podiums in 91 races, and although he’s yet to win a championship, he would help secure a strong North American backing, even if he’s not the American driver Cadillac are necessarily searching for.