Cadillac make Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas announcement as 2026 F1 line-up confirmed

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Cadillac have officially announced their first driver pairing in Formula 1, with Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas joining the team in 2026.

The American brand will join the grid next year in time for the new technical regulations. Cadillac will run with Ferrari engines for the first few seasons before General Motors introduce their own power unit, which they hope will be ready by 2029.

Cadillac will become F1’s 11th team on the grid, marking the first time there have been 22 cars in the field since 2016. Naturally, with another two seats to fill, speculation has been rife as to who will race for the newcomers throughout 2025.

The team have explored multiple options in the F1 driver market, from current drivers to rookies to talents outside of F1 looking to get a shot or return to the pinnacle of motorsport. It was believed that Cadillac were looking to sign an American driver, but they have opted for experience.

Cadillac announce Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as their first Formula 1 drivers

The likes of Jack Doohan, Yuki Tsunoda and Felipe Drugovich were linked with the American outfit in recent weeks. However, Cadillac have finally made their decision as Perez and Bottas will join the team.

The duo will return to the grid after leaving Red Bull and Sauber, respectively, at the end of 2024. Perez has taken a year out of motorsport in 2025, while Bottas has returned to Mercedes to serve as their reserve driver.

Perez had been in talks with Cadillac since his Red Bull exit, with the team identifying him as a top candidate. Likewise, his new teammate had been heavily linked with F1’s 11th team, with Bottas teasing a move to Cadillac on social media on numerous occasions.

In Perez and Bottas, Cadillac have a wealth of experience that will help them develop and improve their car and operation. With over 500 Grand Prix starts and 16 wins between them, they have just the pair they need to build forward.

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

How the 2026 F1 grid looks after Cadillac confirm their driver line-up

With Cadillac tying down Perez and Bottas for 2026, the grid still has six seats to confirm for next season as the driver market could see further movement.

Mercedes are set to retain George Russell for 2026 and beyond after heavily pursuing Max Verstappen earlier in the year. Kimi Antonelli is also set to stay in Brackley as the team view him as a future talent.

Red Bull drivers Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson are all out of contract in 2025, with the team yet to decide on the main team and Racing Bulls’ driver pairing. Tsunoda has an ‘almost 0%’ chance of keeping his seat as the Japanese driver could face dropping off the grid.

Lawson is set to stay at Racing Bulls, while Hadjar has been tipped to replace Tsunoda, with Arvid Lindblad moving up to F1 from Formula 2. However, that could change amid reports that Red Bull are interested in Alex Palou and could sign the four-time IndyCar champion.

Finally, Alpine have yet to announce who Pierre Gasly’s teammate will be in 2026 as Franco Colapinto faces pressure to retain his seat. Perez and Bottas were both linked with the Enstone outfit, but they have found their new home with Cadillac.