Cadillac have confirmed their first Formula 1 driver ahead of their debut season in 2026. The team has signed experienced Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas, who is set to return to full-time racing after spending time as a reserve driver for Mercedes in 2025.
Bottas is expected to be officially unveiled next week. The move isn’t a huge surprise, as he has been linked with Cadillac for a while and has openly said he wants to return to the grid.
To prepare for next year, Cadillac plan to carry out testing sessions later this season, using an older Ferrari car. This means Bottas could start working with the team earlier than expected, helping both him and Cadillac get ready for 2026.
The team is led by Graeme Lowdon, who knows Bottas well, and who also managed Zhou Guanyu, Bottas’ former teammate at Sauber.
During his F1 career, Bottas raced for Mercedes between 2017 and 2021, winning 10 races, taking 20 pole positions, and finishing on the podium 58 times. His experience is expected to be a big asset for Cadillac, as they join the grid, which will grow to 11 teams for the first time since 2016.
It is still unclear who will be Bottas’ teammate. There were rumours about Sergio Perez joining, but he is also in talks with Alpine. Cadillac have also been linked with younger, less experienced drivers, though nothing has been confirmed yet.
