Cadillac have finally made a call on their driver pair for the 2026 Formula 1 season, says journalist

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Cadillac’s search for drivers has taken longer than expected, with the 2025 season already past the halfway point and both seats still vacant.

The team aren’t feeling any pressure to rush things. Their focus remains on getting the car ready for their first race in Melbourne next March.

And with the rest of the driver market staying fairly quiet, Cadillac don’t have much to worry about when it comes to losing potential candidates to other teams.

The original plan was to pair an experienced driver with a young American talent, but that approach seems to have changed as the search has gone on.

Cadillac set to choose Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas after drawn-out driver search

Speaking on F1TV’s ‘Weekend Warm-Up’ ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, journalist Lawrence Barretto said the team now appear focused on two experienced hands: Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.

Now both in transitional phases of their careers, they bring with them a combined résumé of more than 500 Grands Prix, 16 wins and 106 podium finishes. Bottas, having lost his Sauber seat, has returned to Mercedes in a reserve role, while Perez finds himself without a team after parting ways with Red Bull at the end of last season.

Barretto made it clear that neither Perez nor Bottas have put pen to paper yet, and nothing official is expected soon. Still, all signs point in that direction.

Bottas has also received an offer from Alpine to replace Franco Colapinto but could use that interest to negotiate a better deal with Cadillac.

“The more likely landing spot for him is Cadillac,” Barretto said of Lewis Hamilton’s former teammate. “I hear that they haven’t got any contracts done, not even any ahead of terms, but Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are the two drivers that they want at that team.

“It’s just a case of them going through the motions with it. It might be some time until we find that out. Obviously there is still some time for that to change but that’s where we’re looking I think.

“That’s where I think it’s going which makes sense because Valtteri could maybe use the Alpine interest to maybe get a better deal. They want experience and those two drivers offer bags.”

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Bottas bets against Alpine, while Perez eyes fresh start

Bottas’s decision might surprise some, given Alpine’s established presence and their upcoming switch to Mercedes engines, which are widely regarded as the top choice in the paddock.

But Alpine have been dealing with a fair bit of instability recently, including several personnel changes both on and off the track. That sort of thing can be a real concern for drivers.

For Perez, Cadillac have thrown him a much-needed lifeline. He isn’t ready to walk away from F1 just yet and doesn’t want his exit from Red Bull to define his career.

Interestingly, there are rumours that Cadillac are considering bringing in Christian Horner, the same person who once extended Perez’s contract before moving him out. That could make for an interesting dynamic if it happens.

If Cadillac have made up their mind, it would shut down opportunities for several other drivers waiting in the wings – including Mick Schumacher, Zhou Guanyu, Jack Doohan and Felipe Drugovich.