Mercedes driver emerges as a leading candidate to spearhead Cadillac's F1 debut in 2026: Reports

Cadillac is reportedly eyeing Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas to spearhead their attack in 2026. The American F1 team is all set to make their debut in Formula 1 next year as the 11th team, and they have shown ample interest in the Finnish driver.

According to a recent report by Autosport, the senior figures of the Cadillac team will be present at the upcoming British GP at Silverstone, regarded as the home race of Mercedes. Graeme Lowdon and Dan Towriss, the head of TWG, the parents' group that managed Cadillac and its F1 operations, are due to be in attendance.

As per paddock chatters, Lowdon and Towriss will negotiate with the drivers with whom they have set their interests, and move forward to sign them within a few weeks. The top name that has come out as the team's first driver is Valtteri Bottas.

Bottas is the third and reserve driver for Mercedes, who rejoined the team this season. He left Brackley at the end of the 2021 season, after Mercedes brought in George Russell. The Finnish driver then raced for three years at Kick Sauber, formerly Alfa Romeo.

After Sauber parted ways with Bottas, he returned to Toto Wolff's team in the role behind Russell and Kimi Raikkonnen. As things stand, he could be on his way to return with the new American team next year.

Moreover, Bottas' latest social media post, where he teased the fans with a video related to Cadillac, also left the fans in a frenzy. In a nutshell, Bottas' return to F1 might be on the cards, amid Cadillac's lack of interest regarding Daniel Ricciardo.

Cadillac eyes Sergio Perez as Mercedes driver's teammate in 2026

According to a report by Autosport, the top brass of Cadillac has its eyes set on Sergio Perez, the former Mexican driver. Perez is currently going through a sabbatical after the Austrian team sacked him last year, owing to his underperformance.

Sergio Pérez of Mexico, driver of Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula One Team, on track in action during the F1 race, Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi - Source: Getty

The reports revealed that Perez could be the one to partner Bottas as he comes with decades of experience in Formula 1. Besides Red Bull, he also raced for McLaren, Sauber, and Force India. On top of that, Perez is the most popular racing driver in both American continents, especially in South America.

As a result, his addition to the team that is based in North America could be an interesting one, given his experience and popularity. However, Cadillac is yet to announce its drivers, especially the second driver, as the talks for the second seat could extend into September this year.

Edited by pranavsethii