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Manila Bulletin devider Drive devider Cadillac Formula 1 Team signs Valtteri Botas and Sergio Perez as 2026 drivers

Cadillac Formula 1 Team signs Valtteri Botas and Sergio Perez as 2026 drivers

Top drivers headlining debut season

Published Aug 28, 2025 03:23 pm
From left: 10-time Grand Prix winner, Valtteri Bottas, and fellow F1 standout and six-time Grand Prix winner, Sergio “Checo” Perez.
From left: 10-time Grand Prix winner, Valtteri Bottas, and fellow F1 standout and six-time Grand Prix winner, Sergio “Checo” Perez.
Multiple-time Grand Prix winners will serve as the drivers for the Cadilla Formula 1 Team when they officially enter the sport in 2026. The Cadillac Formula 1 Team announced the signing of two star drivers – 10-time Grand Prix winner Valtteri Bottas and fellow F1 standout and six-time Grand Prix winner Sergio “Checo” Perez – to lead the team into its debut season in Formula 1 in 2026.
Together, Bottas and Perez bring an unmatched blend of experience, leadership and technical acumen, that will allow Cadillac to hit the ground running as it joins the world’s most elite racing series. With more than 500 combined Grand Prix starts, over 100 podiums and deep development expertise, the pair will play a central role in shaping the team’s competitive foundation from day one.
The signing seems almost fated as both drivers ended the 2024 Formula 1 season without a contract for 2025. Valterri was able to secure a reserve driver deal for Mercedes-AMG Petronas, while Perez’s contract was cut short in favor of moving up a younger talent to take his seat. Now with new Formula 1 team contracts, fans will likely be tuned it to these two to see if they can surpass the results of their former teams and get some much needed redemption.
Backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors (GM), the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is building from the ground up and creating a culture rooted in innovation and performance. The team will operate out of three key motorsport hubs: Fishers, Indiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Silverstone, UK – merging American engineering ingenuity with European racing expertise.
"From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded,” said Bottas. “This isn’t just a racing project; it’s a long-term vision. It's not every day that you get a chance to be part of something being built from the ground up and helping shape it into something that truly belongs on the F1 grid.
“I’ve had the honor of working with some of the best teams in the world, and I can already see the same professionalism and hunger here. This is an iconic brand with a big legacy in American motorsport, and to be a part of the story as it enters the world stage of F1 is incredibly special for me. I’m looking forward to representing the American spirit of racing on the greatest circuits in the world. I’d also like to thank Mercedes for their unwavering support and sportsmanship in facilitating such an exciting step.”
Pérez added: “Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career. From our first conversations, I could sense the passion and determination behind this project. It's an honor to be part of a building a team that can develop together so that, in time, we will fight at the very front. Cadillac is a legendary name in American motorsport, and to help bring such a fantastic company to Formula 1 is a huge responsibility, one I’m confident of taking on. I’m proud to be part of such an ambitious and meaningful project from the very beginning. I’m really pleased to be part of such a dynamic line-up, and together I believe we can help shape this team into a real contender, the team of the Americas. We’re counting on support from across the continent – and we want to make everyone proud.”
Cadillac Formula 1 Team logo.
Cadillac Formula 1 Team logo.
“Signing two very experienced racers like Bottas and Checo is a bold signal of intent,” said Team Principal Graeme Lowdon. “They’ve seen it all and they know what it takes to succeed in Formula 1. But more importantly, they understand what it means to help build a team. Their leadership, feedback, race-hardened instincts and of course their speed will be invaluable as we bring this team to life. A big thank you to the team at Mercedes for their co-operation and understanding.”
While Cadillac is not the only American team in Formula 1, its entry is still quite historic, making a high-performance evolution for one of America’s most storied and largest automotive brands.
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