Sergio Perez makes Valtteri Bottas comment immediately after landing Cadillac seat for 2026 F1 season

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Sergio Perez has signed with Cadillac for the 2026 Formula 1 season. He will return to the grid alongside new teammate Valtteri Bottas after they both left the sport in 2024.

Red Bull dropped the Mexican at the end of last season after a dismal run of form. He will hope to regain the spark he has shown at midfield teams with Cadillac, having finished in the top 10 of the standings in seven out of eight seasons for Sauber and Force India/Racing Point.

Perez will partner with Bottas as the pair sign multi-year contracts with the American brand. The Finn has remained in F1 in some capacity in 2025 as he serves as Mercedes’ reserve driver.

David Coulthard thinks Cadillac have the ‘perfect’ line-up for their debut season in F1. With over 500 Grand Prix starts and 16 wins between them, Perez and Bottas offer a wealth of experience and expertise to the 11th team on the grid.

Sergio Perez says he will ‘work well’ with Valtteri Bottas after landing Cadillac 2026 seat

Cadillac’s drivers were once championship rivals during their days with Red Bull and Mercedes. They both acted as number two drivers to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton during the infamous 2021 season, with Perez coming out on top with the former.

Now teammates in 2026, Perez is raring to go and is looking forward to working together with Bottas. Speaking via The F1 Show immediately after signing for Cadillac, the Mexican says the partnership will be a good fit.

“Definitely, I think it’s going to work well. We are both very competitive and we are both very hungry,” he said.

“We’ve seen it all in the sport as well, which I think definitely helps. But we are very motivated to be back, obviously Valtteri is half in already.

“I’m really happy to be out of the sport for a year. I’m not looking forward to go to any races this year, to be honest.

“I’m happy to see them from the TV, because there’s a lot of races coming up for us in the next years.”

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

Who will be Cadillac’s number one driver in 2026?

Perez and Bottas signing long-term deals suggests that Cadillac are confident with their decision on their driver line-up. They give F1’s newcomers a competitive partnership, but things could get interesting when it comes to the number one driver.

It was reported that Bottas would sign for Cadillac first, which did not sit well with his teammate’s camp. Perez does not want to be number two at the American outfit; the fact that they were announced together could suggest equal treatment.

The duo have been number two drivers for the majority of their careers. They will certainly want to stamp their authority when Cadillac’s cars finally appear on the grid.

Perez and Bottas ‘guarantee’ result for Cadillac from the off with their experience and proven reputation. They have the pedigree to score consistent points finishes, unlike a Mick Schumacher, who was one of several drivers Cadillac rejected for 2026.