A debut full of uncertainty

Cadillac’s arrival to the Formula 1 grid in 2026 will not follow the path of Red Bull, Aston Martin, or Audi, who bought already established teams. Instead, they will start from scratch, which has slowed down key decisions—especially the choice of drivers.

Although at first it seemed Sergio Pérez would be the face of the new project, reality has shifted. Rumors now put Valtteri Bottas as the main candidate, along with the possibility of giving a seat to a rookie driver. The announcement that was supposedly coming after the Hungarian GP never materialized, and uncertainty continues to grow.

The rush to fill the simulator

Inside the team, there is urgency to have a driver start working in the simulator, and Bottas is reportedly closer to signing than anyone else. However, there has been no official confirmation. The lack of a solid structure and top-tier experience in the category raises doubts about Cadillac’s real competitive potential for its debut season.

Why Checo isn’t sold on the project

With the backing of Grupo Carso and his vast F1 experience, Checo Pérez would be a valuable asset in developing a competitive car. However, forecasts for 2026 are far from encouraging: the team currently has only 400 employees, well below the 1,000 typically found in leading outfits, and several key positions remain unfilled.

According to GPBlog, the risk is high and the reward minimal—competing in an uncompetitive car could tarnish his legacy in F1. In this scenario, and with few alternatives left to stay in the top category, the Mexican could opt not to accept Cadillac’s offer, leaving the door open for Bottas and a rookie.