The new Cadillac F1 team have announced Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as their first ever line-up as the team prepares to enter F1 in 2026.

Cadillac, who have a base adjacent to the Silverstone Circuit along with additional bases in the USA, have confirmed the signing of the two experienced drivers who had been unattached after leaving their previous teams at the end of 2024.

The confirmed line-up includes two drivers who have made a combined 527 Grand Prix starts. The official announcement earlier today (26/08) comes after several days of speculation that the duo were set to be announced by the team.

The team did not confirm contract lengths for either driver, which are reported by other sources to both be multi-year deals.

Bottas, who turns 36 this week, had been released by Sauber at the end of the 2024 season. His CV includes 10 race wins, all achieved during a 5-season spell with Mercedes in which he helped the team win the Constructor’s Championship in every season he raced for the team.

After leaving Sauber, the Finnish driver returned to the Brackley-based Mercedes team, where he has spent the 2025 season as their reserve driver.

Teammate Perez, also known as Checo, joins after leaving Red Bull. The Mexican driver was dropped by the Milton Keynes-based team at the end of last season despite initially having a contract for 2025 and 2026.

The 35-year-old has won six Grand Prix, with one coming in 2020 for the team then known as Racing Point and the other 5 after joining Red Bull in 2021.

Perez’s move is the second time he will have driven in his F1 career for a team with a Silverstone base. The Mexican previously raced for the team once known as Jordan and now known as Aston Martin between 2014 and 2020, representing a team that was called Force India & Racing Point for his spell there.

Cadillac will race in F1 for the first time in 2026, having been granted approval by F1 in 2024. The team will use Ferrari engines before switching to bespoke engines made by Cadillac’s parent company GM at a later date.

In a statement, Bottas said he was excited at working with his new team.

He said, “From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded. 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.

Perez added, “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 line-up, 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.”

Graeme Lowdon, Cadillac’s Team Principal, said, “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. 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 co-operation and understanding.”