Cadillac has officially put its stamp on Formula 1. The American luxury brand confirmed on Tuesday that it will field Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez as its drivers for the 2026 season, signalling General Motors’ first serious move into the sport and cementing its partnership with Andretti Global.
The announcement, made at a high-profile unveiling, ends months of speculation over Cadillac’s driver line-up. Bottas, a ten-time Grand Prix winner with Mercedes and Alfa Romeo, brings the kind of technical know-how that only years at the sharp end of the grid can deliver. Pérez, who has spent the past four years alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, adds proven race-winning pedigree and marketing appeal in equal measure.
For Cadillac, the entry arrives at a pivotal time. Formula 1’s sweeping regulation changes in 2026 will reshape the competitive order. The new power unit formula aims to increase sustainability, with greater reliance on electrical output and fully sustainable fuels. GM has already been approved as a future power unit manufacturer, though its own engines will only join in 2029. Until then, Cadillac will compete using Ferrari-built engines, a temporary arrangement designed to give its technical department breathing space while establishing its factory programme.
“This is a bold step forward for Cadillac and for American motorsport,” said Eric Warren, GM’s Executive Director of Motorsports. “Having Bottas and Pérez behind the wheel gives us experience, speed, and credibility as we take on the challenge of F1.”
The pairing has already won praise from within the paddock. Former F1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle called it “a serious signal of intent,” pointing to the balance of calm, data-driven precision from Bottas and the aggressive, opportunistic racecraft that has made Pérez a crowd favourite. Both drivers also bring strong reputations for car development, which will be critical for an organisation building a new F1 team from scratch.
Cadillac’s project is more than a sporting gamble. It represents the culmination of Andretti Global’s years-long push to break into Formula 1, a campaign that has faced resistance from within the sport but now enjoys the weight of GM’s global influence. With Cadillac’s branding and financial muscle, Andretti’s F1 entry no longer looks like an outsider’s bid but a genuine new chapter for the sport.
The team’s operations will be split between the United States and Europe. A U.S. base will house the commercial and branding side of the project, while a European technical centre is being built to ensure competitiveness against the sport’s established giants. Engineers have already begun development work on the 2026 car, with early prototypes expected to be tested in simulation by next year.
For Bottas, who has reinvented himself since leaving Mercedes, the move represents an opportunity to shape a project from its inception rather than inherit one already established. “I’ve been part of big teams and seen what it takes to win,” he said at the announcement. “Now I want to bring that experience to a new challenge.”
Pérez, meanwhile, faces the prospect of becoming the face of Cadillac’s Latin American and global fan push, a natural role given his enduring popularity in Mexico and beyond. “It’s rare to be part of something completely new in Formula 1,” he said. “We have the chance to build something special here.”
Cadillac’s arrival comes as Formula 1 enjoys unprecedented popularity in the United States, with races in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas already fixtures on the calendar. The addition of a fully fledged American manufacturer deepens that connection and provides a fresh storyline as the sport transitions into its next era.
With Bottas and Pérez confirmed, Cadillac has delivered its first major statement. The challenge now is to prove that an American powerhouse can not only join Formula 1 but compete with the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull on equal footing. The 2026 grid is still six months away, but the countdown to a new chapter in F1 history has begun.
