Cadillac finally seem to be close to deciding who will make the General Motors brand’s maiden F1 line-up after speaking to drivers, including Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
The American squad will join the grid in 2026, but Cadillac are so far yet to sign a driver who will lead their arrival in the paddock. Formula 1 confirmed that General Motors had secured an entry this March, but team principal Graeme Lowdon has refused to rush into a decision.
Bottas and Perez have long been considered two of the favourites to join Cadillac, given the veteran pair can offer years of experience and are on the F1 driver market. Yet Cadillac have toyed with the idea of signing them both or just one to partner with a rookie who can grow.
Perez is itching to return to F1 having quickly become bored on the sidelines since Red Bull terminated his contract last December. Bottas decided to return to Mercedes as a reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season to stay in the paddock whilst chasing a seat on the 2026 grid.
Photo by Mark Sutton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty ImagesCadillac must pay attention to Toto Wolff’s praise for Valtteri Bottas mentoring Andrea Kimi Antonelli
It has been reported that Cadillac may soon announce the signing of Perez as Lowdon looks to put the final touches into place. But it has also been said that Bottas and Cadillac agreed on the terms of his contract at Silverstone after they staged talks at July’s British Grand Prix.
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TEAMDRIVER 1DRIVER 2AlpinePierre GaslyN/AAston MartinFernando AlonsoLance StrollAudiGabriel BortoletoNico HulkenbergCadillacN/AN/AFerrariCharles LeclercLewis HamiltonHaasEsteban OconOliver BearmanMcLarenLando NorrisOscar PiastriMercedesN/AN/ARacing BullsN/AN/ARed Bull RacingMax VerstappenN/AWilliamsAlex AlbonCarlos Sainz2026 confirmed F1 drivers
Reports even claim Cadillac want Bottas to partner a rookie like Felipe Drugovich, instead of signing two veteran names. It is thought that Cadillac would like Bottas to serve as a mentor for a young driver whom they can build to be their team leader once the 35-year-old retires.
Should that be the case, then Cadillac must pay attention to the praise that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has laid at Bottas’ feet for the Finn’s work as a mentor for Andrea Kimi Antonelli this year. Bottas has taken the 18-year-old under his wing during his rookie term.
Wolff told Sky Sports F1 (25/07, 12:48): “My opinion is he deserves a drive. I think we have the best third and reserve driver you can imagine. If one of our guys eats a bad fish, I know Valtteri is going to be on the pace.
“His mentoring of Kimi is really astonishing. How Kimi takes this on board and Valtteri does it in the right way, you can see him upstairs looking at the overlays and giving Kimi driving line tips based on the onboards from the other drivers.
“So, [Mercedes would be] losing the best third and reserve [driver]. But he merits to have a full-time drive, and I’m happy with him if he were to achieve that.”
Valtteri Bottas’ help has seen Andrea Kimi Antonelli break Formula 1 records as a rookie
Photo by Sam Bloxham/Getty Images
Cadillac could face competition as Bottas has an offer from Alpine, who are still open to the idea of the 10-time Grand Prix winner potentially replacing Franco Colapinto this term. But Bottas is more interested in signing for Cadillac than for Alpine, should that drive open up.
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TEAMENGINERed BullRed Bull Powertrains (in partnership with Ford)FerrariFerrariMcLarenMercedesMercedesMercedesAston MartinHondaRacing BullsRed Bull Powertrains (in partnership with Ford)HaasFerrariWilliamsMercedesAlpineMercedesAudiAudiCadillacFerrariF1 engine suppliers for the 2026 season
The 20-time polesitter does not want to spend another term as a reserve driver next season after losing his seat on the grid after 2024. Audi elected against renewing Bottas’ contract at Sauber to stay in the 2025 season and put rookie Gabriel Bortoleto next to Nico Hulkenberg.
Mercedes have since relished Bottas’ return to Brackley, having raced for them from 2017 to 2021. Bottas helped Antonelli turn his Japanese Grand Prix weekend around after the Italian admitted he was ‘lost’ after practice and lacked confidence going into qualifying at Suzuka.
Bottas’ help saw Antonelli break Max Verstappen’s record as F1’s youngest Grand Prix leader in Japan, where he also became the youngest driver with the fastest lap in a Formula 1 race. Mercedes rookie Antonelli became the youngest-ever F1 polesitter in the Miami Sprint, too.