The four drivers Cadillac rejected before signing Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas for 2026 line-up

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Cadillac have confirmed the signings of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas for the 2026 Formula 1 season and beyond.

The American brand, who will join the grid as the 11th team next year, have signed the pair to multi-year contracts, securing their place in F1 until at least the end of 2027.

Cadillac announced Perez and Bottas on Tuesday after months of speculation about their driver line-up for 2026. The team had been exploring the F1 driver market and drew up a list of several candidates to look at and hold discussions with.

It was initially believed that Cadillac would sign an American driver, but limited options prevented them from signing one, with IndyCar star Colton Herta not having enough superlicence points. In the end, they have opted for Perez and Bottas.

According to a report from the official F1 website, Cadillac rejected four drivers before securing the signatures of Perez and Bottas for 2026.

Zhou Guanyu

Bottas’ former Sauber teammate Zhou Guanyu had been linked with Cadillac for a seat next season. Like the Finn, the 25-year-old has stayed in the F1 paddock in 2025 as a reserve driver for Ferrari.

Zhou had ties to Cadillac as team principal Graeme Lowdon has been part of his management. It had been previously reported that Zhou had a ‘good chance’ of joining Cadillac, but the team have pulled a U-turn and opted to explore other options.

Frederik Vesti

Among experienced F1 drivers, Cadillac were also assessing whether to sign a rookie for their 2026 line-up, including Frederik Vesti. The Mercedes reserve driver had thrown his name into the mix as he hoped to secure his first F1 seat.

But Vesti proved he was not ready for Cadillac after a lacklustre performance for the Silver Arrows in FP1 in Bahrain. Sure enough, the Norwegian driver has not been picked up by the American brand, as he currently plies his trade in IMSA.

Mick Schumacher

Former Haas driver and son of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, Mick Schumacher was heavily linked with Cadillac in recent months. The German has been targeting a return to F1 since he left the sport at the end of 2022.

He impressed key figures in meetings, but was unable to secure a seat for 2026. However, he could still be a part of the team, as Cadillac could sign Schumacher as a reserve driver and have him in their WEC programme next year.

READ MORE: Who is Mick Schumacher? All to know about Michael Schumacher’s son

Felipe Drugovich

Like Vesti, Felipe Drugovich was hoping to get his opportunity in F1 with Cadillac in 2026. Since winning the F2 title in 2022, the Brazilian has repeatedly been denied chances in the pinnacle of motorsport, having to settle for being on the sidelines at Aston Martin.

Fernando Alonso called for Cadillac to sign Drugovich, but they opted for experience with Bottas and Perez. With this latest snub and Aston Martin not having a seat available until the end of next season, his chances of racing in F1 look slim to none.