Formula 1's New American Team Lands Two Veteran Drivers In Pérez And Bottas

The Cadillac Formula 1 squad has signed Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas arsenic its 2 drivers for nan 2026 season, bringing a brace of knowledgeable hands and race-winners to its inaugural lineup.

The announcement Tuesday answers 1 of nan astir anticipated questions surrounding nan GM-backed American team, which is joining nan grid adjacent year arsenic nan 11th team.

The determination shows that Cadillac is putting a premium connected acquisition arsenic it navigates nan choppy waters of starting an F1 squad from scratch, nan first caller introduction successful a decade. Before inking deals pinch nan 2 35-year-old veterans, nan squad had considered immoderate younger prospects and initially said of wanting to motion 1 American driver arsenic portion of its lineup.

“Signing 2 very knowledgeable racers for illustration Bottas and Checo is simply a bold awesome of intent,” Cadillac squad main Graeme Lowdon said successful a statement. “They’ve seen it each and they cognize what it takes to win successful Formula 1. But much importantly, they understand what it intends to thief build a team. Their leadership, feedback, race-hardened instincts and of people their velocity will beryllium invaluable arsenic we bring this squad to life.”

Bottas, who is Finnish, has 10 title wins and 20 rod positions to his name. Pérez, of Mexico, has six title wins and 3 rod positions nether his belt.

“From nan infinitesimal I began speaking pinch nan Cadillac Formula 1® Team, I felt thing different — thing eager but besides grounded,” Bottas said. “I’ve had nan grant of moving pinch immoderate of nan champion teams successful nan world, and I tin already spot nan aforesaid professionalism and hunger here.”

“This is an iconic marque pinch a large bequest successful American motorsport... I’m looking guardant to representing nan American tone of racing connected nan top circuits successful nan world,” he said.

Pérez called it a “dynamic line-up” that he hopes will “help style this squad into a existent contender, nan squad of nan Americas.”

“Cadillac is simply a legendary sanction successful American motorsport, and to thief bring specified a awesome institution to Formula 1 is simply a immense responsibility, 1 I’m assured of taking on,” Pérez said. “I’m proud to beryllium portion of specified an eager and meaningful task from nan very beginning.”

Bottas and Pérez person had akin trajectories successful their F1 careers, excelling successful midfield teams and attracting nan attraction of title contenders. Bottas raced for Mercedes and Pérez raced for Red Bull, each of them helping propel those teams to respective constructors’ titles. But they fell short of winning driver’s championships, moving headlong into 2 all-time greats successful Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen arsenic teammates.

Still, nan 2 bring unsocial strengths: Bottas has been praised for his beardown one-lap gait during Saturday qualifying, while Pérez tends to beryllium strongest during Sunday Grand Prix races and is known for his tyre guidance skills.

Bottas near Mercedes aft nan 2021 play and went connected to thrust for Sauber for a fewer years, earlier returning to Mercedes arsenic reserve driver for this season. Pérez exited nan F1 grid past year.

Peter Crolla, nan title squad head astatine Cadillac F1, told NBC News earlier this summertime that nan team’s goals for nan motorboat break down into 3 tiers.

“We commencement disconnected pinch respectable participation,” he said successful an question and reply astatine the Canadian Grand Prix successful June. “At immoderate constituent aft that will travel reliability, because we won’t person it from nan start... Following that will travel performance.”

Crolla said that nan squad is realistic astir nan situation ahead.

“You can’t spell consecutive successful pinch an anticipation of precocious capacity erstwhile you’re moving against teams that person done it for — nan shortest lead clip is 10 years, nan longest 1 is 70 years,” he said. “We’re representing a marque that’s not been represented successful Formula 1 before, and there’s a awesome consciousness of pridefulness pinch that. But group are excited by challenges. People are excited by caller start, and this is decidedly 1 of nan biggest of those.”