F1 paddock believes only one thing will stop Cadillac from being last despite signing Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez

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As a brand-new team entering the F1 grid, the challenge of hitting the ground running is a daunting task. However, the feeling in the F1 paddock points towards Cadillac benefiting from another team’s poor performance at the beginning of the 2026 rule cycle.

Lewis Hamilton believes Cadillac have made the right decision in employing his former Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas. The two drivers spent five seasons together between 2017 and 2021 in a highly successful set-up which saw the team win five consecutive constructors’ championships.

Cadillac announced the signing of Sergio Perez at the same time as Bottas, with the Mexican driver also getting another shot on the F1 grid after his early departure from Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season.

Perez and Bottas have been warned about early frustrations at the team due to their new status in the sport, but there may be one team that saves them from the depths of 11th place in the constructors’ standings.

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

The F1 paddock believes Audi’s engine forecasts for 2026 will prevent Cadillac from finishing last

In a Dutch Grand Prix preview episode of the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, journalist Andrew Benson was joined by Jolyon Palmer to discuss the sentiments in the paddock regarding Cadillac following their announcement of Bottas and Perez.

As they join the grid next season as a brand new constructor, Cadillac will follow in the footsteps of Haas, who were the most recent team to join the grid as a new team in 2016. Audi will also join the grid in a rebrand of Sauber, and is in the midst of developing their own F1 engine ahead of the 2025 rule change.

The American team had a fairly successful first season in the sport, finishing eighth, which was largely thanks to their hot start in the opening rounds of the season. However, Benson revealed that Cadillac aren’t confident in replicating that in their first season.

“Cadillac themselves think they’re going to be at the back of the grid,” Benson said. “In the paddock, the general belief is that the only thing that will keep Cadillac off the back of the grid is if the Audi engine is as bad as everyone says it is.

“No one knows, obviously, where the new engines are all gonna stack up next year.”

Benson believes another reason why Cadillac may find themselves within the midfield is down to the driver line-up they’ve secured for the upcoming season.

“From Cadillac’s side of things, they’ve played an absolute blinder to get Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez into those cars. That’s as good a lineup as they could possibly have dreamed of.

“They’re both extremely competent drivers. They’ve won races, lots of them in Valtteri Bottas’s case. He’s got 10 wins and 20 poles from that Mercedes era that he had alongside Lewis Hamilton. He’s no slouch.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Sauber from team principal to 2026 Audi future

Valtteri Bottas told Jolyon Palmer the two main reasons why he wanted to join Cadillac

Jolyon Palmer also revealed what Bottas said to him regarding his motivations in wanting to drive for Cadillac next season, even though he was linked to a potential seat at Alpine if they grew tired of Franco Colapinto.

“I spoke to Valtteri earlier, and he said number one is starting the project from the ground up,” the former F1 driver told Benson. “But number two, and probably the more important point, was the longevity of the contract as well.

“So when he’s been out of Formula One, and he’s on the sidelines, as he is and Perez is this year, they just want to know that they’re racing for the next few years, have job security.

“I don’t think Alpine may necessarily be offering that. And I think with Cadillac, they are buying into the project, and it’s a good signal for them.”

Cadillac has been the priority for Bottas since leaving the grid at the end of 2024 following a stint at Sauber. The Finnish driver stated that he has been in contact with team principal Graeme Lowden for over two years in hopes of securing a drive at the team.