“Signing two very experienced racers like Bottas and Checo is a bold signal of intent. They’ve seen it all and they know what it takes to succeed in Formula 1. More importantly, they understand what it means to help build a team.”
Graeme Lowdon, Team Principal, Cadillac Formula 1 Team
Pérez stepped away after parting with Red Bull at the end of 2024 to take stock and spend time with family; Bottas remained paddock-sharp as Mercedes’ reserve following his Sauber exit.
Pérez arrives with the heft of a career spent in the thick of it, with Sauber, McLaren, Force India/Racing Point, and most recently Red Bull, where he helped secure back-to-back Teams’ Championships in 2022 and 2023.
“Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career. It’s an honor to be part of 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.
Sergio Perez, Formula 1 Driver
Few drivers understand the architecture of a winning team like Bottas, whose precision and composure underpinned Mercedes’ Constructors’ titles from 2017 to 2021. If Pérez brings race-craft and tyre whispering, Bottas brings metronomic qualifying pace and a cool head on a hot Sunday.
“From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different, something ambitious but also grounded. 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.”
Valtteri Bottas, Formula 1 Driver
Dan Towriss, CEO of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team and TWG Motorsports, said: “Bottas and Checo bring the perfect balance of talent, maturity, and drive. They’re not just accomplished racers, they’re builders, collaborators, and professionals who will help define what the Cadillac Formula 1 Team stands for. This moment marks the beginning of a bold new chapter in American motorsport.”
And from GM President Mark Reuss: “Our new drivers are a welcome addition to the Cadillac racing family – each brings a depth of experience, and an unwavering passion to win. Together, we’re building the foundation for American motorsports that will be an extraordinary legacy for Cadillac, GM and the sport.”
Why experience matters in 2026
With a fresh technical rulebook arriving in 2026, the smart money is on teams that can compress the learning curve. That’s where a duo like this earns its keep: understanding how big organisations think, translating driver feel into setup direction, and accelerating the team’s collective “muscle memory”.
Will the car be quick out of the box? No one knows until the lights go out. But this much is clear: Cadillac has signed standards. And in a sport where culture sets lap time as surely as horsepower, that might be the most valuable commodity of all.
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