Cadillac confirm driver lineup as axed F1 stars return

The return of two previously axed F1 stars has been confirmed, with Cadillac revealing their 2026 driver lineup in an official announcement.

Heading into their first season in the sport in 2026, Cadillac have confirmed that Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will make up their driver lineup, with team principal Graeme Lowdon opting for a highly-experienced duo.

Perez and Bottas have 16 grand prix victories and 106 podiums between them, but both drivers were axed at the end of 2024 by Red Bull and Sauber respectively after poor campaigns.

Now, they are both set for a stunning return to a full-time race seat, with Cadillac signing the pair 'not for a season, but for the future', suggesting a multi-year deal is in place for the two superstars.

2021 supporting cast to unite

With Bottas and Perez being snapped up by Cadillac for 2026, it means a union of the two supporting cast members of the thrilling 2021 world championship battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Perez helped his Red Bull team-mate to claim drivers' title success for the first time that year, while Bottas' performances were enough to clinch Mercedes the constructors' championship for the eighth consecutive season.

However, both were vastly outperformed by their team-mates, a feature of both of their careers while with 'big teams'.

This new opportunity at Cadillac offers a reset for both 35-year-olds, with new regulations sweeping into the sport and a new, ambitious Cadillac team ready to build an outfit that is capable of challenging for future world titles.

Since leaving Sauber in 2024, Bottas has been a reserve driver with Mercedes, but team principal Toto Wolff admitted that he would not stand in the way of the Finnish veteran negotiating with other teams.

The pair were confirmed to be Cadillac's driver lineup in a post on X, which featured Hollywood superstar Keanu Reeves.

Two paths. One call of destiny.
The Cadillac Formula 1 Team's future begins with them. pic.twitter.com/4LqfY1C5N8

— Cadillac Formula 1 Team (@Cadillac_F1) August 26, 2025

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