Cadillac have now ‘agreed’ terms with 67-podium driver over 2026 F1 seat, but nothing has been signed

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Cadillac know that time is slowly ticking away until they make their Formula 1 debut at the beginning of the 2026 season.

The 2026 F1 campaign is set to be one of the most anticipated in recent memory, with new regulations theoretically giving all 11 teams the chance to dominate the rest of the field.

All it takes is for one innovation to be found by a manufacturer to give them the head start they need to dominate the constructors’ championship, similarly to Brawn F1 in 2009.

Jenson Button was the beneficiary of Brawn’s work that year, and whoever signs for Cadillac in 2026 will hope to enjoy the same fate.

Team principal Graeme Lowdon has been reviewing his options in the F1 driver market for some time now.

There are plenty of potential drivers out there who would like to race for the American outfit next year.

It now sounds like they’re closing in on one of their top targets, Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas.

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

Valtteri Bottas has ‘agreed’ terms to race for Cadillac F1 in 2026

A report from as-web has provided more details about Cadillac’s search for their first Formula 1 drivers.

Bottas moved ahead of Sergio Perez in Cadillac’s thinking earlier in the year, although there’s nothing to suggest that the experienced pair could end up working together next season.

It’s been suggested that Bottas and Cadillac are ‘close to a deal’ to be working together in 2026.

Autosport Web believes that the terms of the contract have now been ‘agreed’, but nothing has been officially signed yet.

This isn’t uncommon in Formula 1, and there were suggestions last season that this is how close the 67-podium Bottas got to joining Williams and re-signing for Sauber.

However, Cadillac representatives were in the paddock at the recent British Grand Prix and held talks with plenty of interested candidates.

It’s said that Bottas is being lined up to test for Mercedes later in the year in a modified car meant to mimic next year’s regulations.

If he gets that opportunity, it could help Cadillac immensely to know what they’re doing right and what needs improvement.

Bottas is said to be desperate to start working in Cadillac’s simulator as soon as possible to help with the development of the car.

If he signs a contract quickly enough, he could still have a huge say in the work being done behind the scenes on the car that will appear at three 2026 pre-season tests and their first race at the Australian Grand Prix.

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

Valtteri Bottas still on Alpine’s radar amid Cadillac F1 interest

The biggest barrier to Cadillac signing Bottas no longer appears to be contractual demands but interest from other teams.

There’s a very good chance that when next season starts, Cadillac will be at the back of the grid.

Aside from the Brawn GP example given above, very few new teams make an immediate splash in the paddock on their debut.

Haas scored points through Romain Grosjean, the last time a team made their F1 debut, but they were running a car that maximised the number of parts allowed to be supplied by another team, in this case, Ferrari.

Lowdon won’t have that luxury, even if Cadillac are using Ferrari engines until General Motors enter the sport.

However, Alpine are very interested in signing Bottas for this season to replace the struggling Franco Colapinto.

It’s up to Cadillac to convince Bottas that they’re worth waiting for, rather than joining the Anglo-French team, who will be a Mercedes customer outfit from 2026 onwards.