Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will be the drivers of Cadillac’s Formula 1 team when it joins the grid in 2026, it announced Aug. 26.
Perez will be in the No. 11, while Bottas will drive the No. 77.
“From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded,” Bottas said in a team release. “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.”
“Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my
career,” Perez added. “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 lineup, 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.”
“Signing two very experienced racers like Bottas and Checo is a bold signal of intent,” Team Principal Graeme Lowdon said. “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 cooperation and understanding.”
Perez last competed in F1 in 2024, finishing eighth in points for Oracle Red Bull Racing. He has six career wins in the series.
Bottas, meanwhile, has 10 victories and last competed in 2024 for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, though he has also been a reserve driver for Mercedes and a test driver for McLaren this season.
Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.
At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.