F1 fans now only want Cadillac to sign Sergio Perez if ‘dream’ driver is his 2026 teammate

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Cadillac have by far the longest to-do list of any of the 11 teams competing in Formula 1 next season.

The 2026 F1 regulations are now the sole focus of many teams in the paddock, with Haas the only manufacturer expected to bring another major update this season.

However, there are also several teams that still need to dip into the F1 driver market to determine their line-up for next year.

Red Bull and Alpine need a driver each, while Mercedes, Racing Bulls and Cadillac have all failed to confirm either of their race seats for 2026.

Mercedes are close to confirming George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, but the other teams may all wait until the last possible moment to lock in their pairings.

Cadillac are the first new entrant into Formula 1 since Haas, and Guenther Steiner’s team secured Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez as their original partnership.

Gutierrez didn’t have a good time at Haas, but Grosjean scored points in their first-ever race, and his experience proved key to the team’s immediate progress into F1’s midfield.

Cadillac appeared to be closing in on signing Sergio Perez, and he would offer an even greater level of expertise than Grosjean did at Haas.

Although Felipe Drugovich is top of Cadillac’s list to partner Perez, fans want to see another driver line-up alongside the 35-year-old in 2026.

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

F1 fans want Cadillac to partner Sergio Perez with Valtteri Bottas for the 2026 season

One of the drivers who has been very closely linked with Cadillac in recent months is Valtteri Bottas.

Bottas has almost been ‘guaranteed’ a Cadillac seat for next year, although he knows better than anyone that until pen is put to paper, nothing is confirmed.

Fans online reacted to the news that Perez appears to be closing in on joining Cadillac, and when wondering who could be joining him, one comment said: “What about Valtteri!”

Another read: “Perez and Bottas are a solid lineup for a new team coming into F1. 2-3 year contracts for them both whilst they build the team up, then take some risks with the younger generation.”

“About time! Bottas next,” said one fan, while another explained: “Valtteri and Checo in a lineup is honestly a dream lineup for a new team like Cadillac. Solid drivers that have taken weak cars to insanely strong results and have the top team experience at Mercedes and Redbull respectively. Don’t judge them by how their careers came to a halt.”

“Can we have Bottas too, please,” asked one supporter, and this was followed up with: “What about this dude: Valtteri Bottas: 10 GP wins, 67 podium finishes, two World Championship silvers, and two World Championship bronzes.”

The sentiment of many F1 fans was summed up quite nicely by a final comment which read: “As long as Bottas is his teammate, I’m fine with that.”

READ MORE: Valtteri Bottas’ life outside F1 from girlfriend to wine and gin

Mick Schumacher eyeing Cadillac role as his Formula 1 hopes dwindle

Cadillac know that they need to sign more than two drivers ahead of their first campaign in F1.

Getting into a Formula 1 set-up is never easy, and the success of Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber might convince Cadillac to dip into the Formula 2 market to poach the best youngster at that level.

Alex Jacques exclusively told F1 Oversteer what Leonardo Fornaroli needs to do to join an F1 team, as he currently tops the Formula 2 drivers’ championships.

Alex Dunne is unlikely to jump into a seat at McLaren any time soon, but Arvid Lindblad could be a Racing Bulls driver in 2026 as part of the Red Bull academy.

A more experienced driver who is aiming for a return to Formula 1 is Mick Schumacher.

Schumacher is aiming to become Cadillac’s reserve driver, in the hope that it might offer him a better chance of reporting to the grid than being a part of Alpine’s roster.