Cadillac have now chosen Valtteri Bottas to lead the General Motors brand’s debut on the Formula 1 grid, despite claims that Sergio Perez was due to sign for the new team.
Bottas and Perez have long been viewed as two of the favourites to lead Cadillac onto the F1 grid next season since the series confirmed the General Motors brand’s entry in March. Both are raring to race in the pinnacle of motorsport again and would add a wealth of experience.
The Finn and Mexican fell off the grid at the end of 2024, as Audi opted against giving Bottas a new contract at Sauber and Red Bull terminated Perez’s contract. So, 2025 marks the first F1 season without Bottas or Perez on the grid since the pair debuted back in 2013 and 2011.
It seemed like Bottas might miss out on a spot on the 2026 F1 grid, as well, following reports that Cadillac may soon announce the signing of Perez to be their lead driver. But Auto Action now reports that Cadillac have decided to sign Bottas instead of Perez to be their No1 driver.
Photo by Dave Hewison/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesCadillac mark Felipe Drugovich as their top target to partner Valtteri Bottas after snubbing Sergio Perez
Bottas and Cadillac reached an agreement on the terms of his contract at Silverstone earlier this month, having used the British Grand Prix as a chance to finalise their negotiations. The 35-year-old is still yet to sign on the dotted line, though, which is delaying the confirmation.
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Cadillac ultimately decided to sign Bottas instead of Perez as the American team appreciate the Finn’s commitment and personality. After leaving Sauber, Bottas returned to Mercedes as their reserve driver, and he has tested for the Silver Arrows as well as McLaren this season.
Bottas’ desire to start working with Cadillac at the team’s Silverstone factory on identifying areas to improve their car for the 2026 F1 regulations, along with driving in their simulator, also helped to strengthen his position. Cadillac also feel he is the ideal mentor for a rookie.
Cadillac want to partner Bottas with a rookie whom they can mould to be their team leader once the Finn’s Formula 1 career is finished. So, while Cadillac held talks with Yuki Tsunoda and Jack Doohan, team principal Graeme Lowdon sees Felipe Drugovich as their top target.
Felipe Drugovich impressed Cadillac’s board with his performances at Le Mans and Daytona
Photo by JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images
Drugovich is now the most likely partner for Bottas at Cadillac in 2026 after the 25-year-old impressed the GM brand’s board with his speed driving for them at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024 and 2025, plus the Daytona 24 earlier this year, as well as the Brazilian’s feedback.
Lowdon further views Drugovich as his top target to partner Bottas as the 2022 F2 champion has driven more than 10,000km in Formula 1 machinery in his role as Aston Martin’s reserve driver since September 2022. Drugovich has also not once damaged a single bit of an F1 car.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Felipe Drugovich from age to racing stats
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Drugovich has taken part in six FP1 sessions with Aston Martin, as well as several Testing of Previous Car (TPC) runs and Pirelli tyre tests. He most recently featured in FP1 for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix and was 0.082 seconds slower than Lance Stroll, but has not raced in F1.
Cadillac spoke to Drugovich at the Japanese Grand Prix the week before he drove Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin in Bahrain, as well. Drugovich was 0.033s quicker than Alonso in the last FP1 session they both featured in with Aston Martin at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
A chance for Drugovich, whom his ex-MP Motorsport boss Paolo Angilella called ‘special’, to be a full-time F1 driver at Cadillac would be richly deserved. The Maringa, Parana native still boasts the most dominant F2 title win after he beat Theo Pourchaire by 101 points in 2022.
But while Drugovich’s name has risen to the top of Lowdon’s shortlist of possible teammates for Bottas, Cadillac are informing Mick Schumacher and Zhou Guanyu that they will not race for them in 2026. Schumacher and Zhou had also been in the running for a seat next season.