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.”

A schedule has been announced for the Tour of Britain cycle race stage taking place in Milton Keynes and Central Bedfordshire.

The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men cycle race will hold stage 3 of its 2025 event on 4 September, with the event starting in Central Milton Keynes and run through to Ampthill in Central Bedfordshire.

Stage three of the Tour will get underway from Midsummer Boulevard, next to Milton Keynes Theatre and MK Gallery, at 11:30.

Spectators can find activities and entertainment from 9.30am onwards, including stunts, free bike checks from Trek and Dr Bike, and the opportunity to decorate your bike for free with artist Kerry Lemon. Visitors can also receive information about women’s bike rides and community bike clubs running in the city and take part in pedal powered fun tasks. 

The race uses what’s known as ‘rolling road closures’, whereby roads will close for a short period when the race passes through. The organisers have said this is to minimise any dangers to athletes, officials, spectators and local people. 

After leaving Midsummer Boulevard, the route will take a course through Marlborough Gate, Silbury Boulevard, Overgate, Childs Way (H6), Marlborough Street (V8), Chaffron Way (H7), Brickhill Street (V10), Station Road, Woburn Sands Road, Bow Brickhill Road, The Leys, Hardwick Road and Woburn Road before heading into Central Bedfordshire 

The route will enter Central Bedfordshire via Woburn and Aspley Heath, before then continuing by heading south past Toddington, through Barton-le-Clay, then across to Broom and circle Old Warden, before continuing past Haynes, on its way to what is predicted to be a sprint finish to the line on Woburn Street in Ampthill.

Coverage of the race will be broadcast on ITV and TNT Sport. Daily highlights will also be broadcast on ITV4 and ITVX after the conclusion of the event.

One noted athlete confirmed as participating is Tour de France, Olympic and World champion Geraint Thomas, in what will be his final act of competitive racing before he retires.

MK City Council have confirmed that spectators are welcome along the route wherever it is safe to watch, with the Council expecting that many local people will be getting a front row view to cheer on the world-class cyclists as they pass by businesses and schools as well as homes. 

Deputy Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Cllr Lauren Townsend, said, “In just over two weeks we’ll be welcoming brilliant teams and dedicated fans to Milton Keynes for the return of the Lloyds Tour of Britain. Do come and join us on the day to cheer on these world-class athletes, soak up the atmosphere, and make the most of the free activities on Midsummer Boulevard.”

MK Dons have announced the signing of Jon Mellish on a season-long loan from Wigan Athletic.

The 27-year-old is the Dons’ first loan signing of the 2025 summer transfer window, and their ninth signing overall following the previously announced arrivals of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Gethin Jones, Aaron Collins, Will Collar, Tom Finch, Callum Paterson, and Marvin Ekpiteta.

Mellish’ arrival sees the Dons add a player who can play in defence or midfield, including at full-back, with the Dons having sought an option at full-back after first-choice full-backs Gethin Jones and Joe Tomlinson recently suffered injuries.

Mellish had joined Wigan from Carlisle United in January, having previously spent 5 and a half years with the Cumbrians. He made 245 appearances in all competitions for Carlisle, scoring 32 times, while he also made 21 for Wigan after moving from Cumbria to Lancashire last season.

In an arrival interview on the MK Dons website, Mellish said, “I felt quite comfortable coming in, I think it’s a really good club, a family club, and speaking to the gaffer, that was one of his main things, that family side of things aligned with me straight away.

“We’ve had a couple of phone calls, and straight away I had a good feeling, and that was one of the main reasons why I came, to have a good connection with the manager.”

Head Coach Paul Warne said he was delighted to add Mellish to his squad.

He said, “It’s good to have Jon at the club, a player that we’ve liked for a long period.

“He’s played against my teams before and has always been excellent; he’s also played in a few different positions. I like him as a left-back too; he’s a perfect fit.

“He’s athletic, clean with the ball; a winner, he’s had a promotion. He can score goals off set pieces and play higher up the pitch.

“I like players who can bring some real value to the squad.”

“He’s going to be a good fit and I look forward to watching him being involved at the weekend.”

Northampton Town picked up their first win of the new season with a 2-0 home win over Exeter City.

First half goals by Ethan Wheatley and Max Dyche did the job for Kevin Nolan’s Cobblers, who picked up a first competitive victory since beating Shrewsbury at Easter.

The win saw Northampton pick up a first win of the new League One season at the fifth attempt.

Seeking the move on from a midweek home defeat to Lincoln, the Cobblers made a flying start against the Devon club with a goal inside the opening minute.

Nesta Guinness-Walker’s pass released Wheatley, who cut inside, evaded a covering Grecians defender and fired past Exeter goalkeeper Joe Whitworth. The goal was Wheatley’s first since joining on loan from Manchester United.

Northampton continued to press in the hunt for a second goal and it would come after 16 minutes, as a deflected Tyrese Fornah cross ended up with Dyche, who scored the goal.

Things could’ve got better for the home side, who looked likelier in the first half to score than concede. Cameron McGeehan narrowly failed to strike from a long throw, before Fornah saw a volley just bounce wide and Whitworth made a stop to thwart Sam Hoskins.

Wheatley then saw a chance denied by Whitworth in the opening minute of the second half, as Northampton attempted to make it 3-0.

The Cobblers couldn’t quite create a multitude of further opportunities after that, but Exeter also struggled to create chances, with their best seeing Ethan Brierley denied by Lee Burge in the 90th minute of the game.

No further chances fell after that, allowing Northampton to toast a job well done as they got the previously elusive victory.

Northampton will now seek to make it back-to-back victories when they play Leyton Orient in East London next weekend.