Former Red Bull man Sergio Pérez appears to have missed out on claiming the first confirmed race seat at Cadillac, with the American manufacturer now poised to announce the signing of another high-profile Formula 1 driver.
Speculation over Cadillac’s driver lineup for the 2026 F1 season has persisted for months, ever since the sport officially approved General Motors to enter as the 11th team on the grid back in March. For weeks, fans and pundits have tried to predict which drivers would lead the brand-new squad, and it seems the mystery is now beginning to unravel at Cadillac’s Silverstone headquarters.
There had been reports suggesting that Pérez had already reached an agreement with Cadillac for a 2026 race seat, with the Mexican driver’s move potentially set to be revealed at the Italian Grand Prix. Formula 1 is scheduled to visit Monza for round 16 of 24 from September 5-7, immediately following the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 29-31.
Despite these expectations, Pérez may now have to settle for being the second driver to be confirmed. According to RacingNews365, Cadillac’s first official driver announcement is anticipated during the week of the Dutch Grand Prix, signaling that Zandvoort could host a significant update for the team’s upcoming plans.
Valtteri Bottas set to be Cadillac’s first confirmed driver
The driver expected to secure the inaugural announcement is Valtteri Bottas. Sources indicate that the Finnish veteran has reached an agreement to return to the Formula 1 grid for the 2026 season, and Cadillac are likely to officially unveil him as part of their driver lineup within the next 11 days.
Bottas has been very clear about his determination to secure a seat with Cadillac, as the 35-year-old sought a route back into competitive racing after Audi decided not to offer him a new deal with Sauber for 2025. This year marks Bottas’ first season off the grid since 2012, emphasizing the significance of a potential return.
It remains uncertain whether Bottas will immediately step down from his current role as Mercedes’ reserve driver once his position at Cadillac is formally confirmed. The 10-time Grand Prix winner returned to Mercedes in a reserve capacity after racing for the Silver Arrows between 2017 and 2021, keeping him close to Formula 1 despite not competing full-time this season.
Cadillac could test Bottas in a former Ferrari
Cadillac have yet to make a decision regarding who will partner Bottas on the 2026 grid. Sergio Pérez remains a strong candidate to join the team after his departure from Red Bull at the end of 2025, but Cadillac are reportedly weighing other options as well, including the possibility of signing a rookie driver.
Thanks to their technical and commercial partnership with Ferrari, Bottas could potentially take part in a track session as a Cadillac driver before the team officially debuts in Formula 1 in 2026. Cadillac have announced plans to use Ferrari engines from 2026 through 2028, while preparing to produce their own factory power unit for the 2029 season.
This relationship opens the possibility for Cadillac to conduct a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) session using an older Ferrari chassis. TPC tests allow teams to run cars from at least two seasons prior to refine operations, data collection, and driver integration ahead of a full competitive season. Teams can carry out up to 20 TPC sessions per year, with a maximum of 1,000 kilometres over four days, using drivers who are officially entered in the championship.
For Cadillac, holding a TPC session with Valtteri Bottas behind the wheel of a retired Ferrari would provide invaluable preparation for their 2026 Formula 1 campaign. It would allow the team to finalise operational processes, develop car setups, and help Valtteri Bottas acclimatise to the team environment before the lights go out on their debut season.
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