When Cadillac announced its Formula 1 project, motorsport fans around the world saw an American brand take aim at the sport’s global summit. The recent reveal of the driver pairing — two experienced Grand Prix winners — moves Cadillac from speculation to reality. In this deep dive we explain the facts, unpack the strategy, and outline what fans in the UK and US should watch for as cadillac f1 prepares for a dramatic 2026 debut.
What happened — the quick facts
Cadillac has confirmed its driver line-up for its debut F1 campaign: Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas, both established race winners.
The team will enter the World Championship as a new constructor for the 2026 season — the first grid expansion in years — with a transatlantic operational approach.
Cadillac’s announcement accompanied official press communications from General Motors and an attention-grabbing reveal video.
Why Cadillac picked experience: Pérez and Bottas
For a brand launching a new team, driver selection isn’t only about headlines — it’s about building the right culture, gathering technical feedback, and accelerating development. Cadillac’s choice of two veterans sends a clear message: they want race-proven experience during the formative years.
Sergio Pérez — the race finisher
Pérez brings a long record of race craft, tyre management and team-battle experience from his time with top-level teams. He is known for strategic race finishes, strong mid-race performance and the ability to extract points when it matters most. His experience will be valuable in setting up car behaviour and race strategy as Cadillac finds its feet.
Valtteri Bottas — the development specialist
Valtteri Bottas brings a sharp engineering perspective and dependable qualifying speed to the grid. His stint with Mercedes and subsequent roles have made him an excellent communicator with engineers — exactly the kind of driver you want when a team is building its car and processes from scratch. His track record as a measured, dependable driver is a big plus for Cadillac’s development roadmap.
Team leadership, partners and where the work happens
Cadillac’s F1 effort is a multinational venture: the project has clear American brand ownership but leverages European technical infrastructure and talent.
Leadership: Seasoned motorsport executives and technical leaders were appointed early to set engineering standards and hire experienced staff.
Technical partnership: The team will initially use Ferrari power units and customer components while planning to develop its own power unit in the medium term. This split approach lessens early technical risk while allowing long-term independence.
At the core of its plan, Cadillac F1 will run operations across both the UK and the US. This dual-base strategy allows the team to tap into Europe’s rich ecosystem of F1 suppliers and technical expertise, while still showcasing Cadillac’s strong American heritage and global ambitions.
The strategy: short-term stability, long-term growth
Cadillac’s approach can be summarised in three moves:
1. Start strong, build steadily
secure experienced drivers and engineers to avoid rookie mistakes.
2. Mitigate risk with technical partners
use proven power units at launch rather than immediately designing a full factory engine.
3. Invest in culture and media
brand storytelling (videos, docu-series, high-profile reveal) builds fan engagement that complements on-track performance.
What this means for UK and US fans
UK fans: expect a technical centre of gravity in the UK — many of the sport’s top engineers and aerodynamicists are based there, and most early development work will likely happen in Britain. That keeps the technical conversation firmly European while bringing American flavour to the grid.
US fans: Cadillac’s entry furthers F1’s growth in North America, offering a home-brand story and new fan engagement opportunities — markets, merchandising and a stronger presence at US races. The brand angle can boost local interest and TV audiences.
Potential uphill battles — realistic challenges ahead
Car competitiveness: building a chassis that goes toe-to-toe with experienced constructors takes time and enormous resources. Early seasons are likely to be about steady progress rather than immediate wins.
Power-unit development timetable: moving from customer engines to a bespoke power unit is a multi-year engineering and financial commitment. Timelines must be carefully managed.
Talent war: hiring the right engineers, split between the UK and US, and creating coherent workflows across continents will be operationally complex.
Media, marketing and the bigger picture
For audiences in Britain and America, Cadillac’s entry is more than just a racing project. The brand is blending true motorsport commitment with a broader cultural appeal.
From polished reveal videos to behind-the-scenes documentary content, Cadillac F1 is reaching new viewers who may not have followed Formula 1 before, creating excitement that goes beyond the traditional fanbase.
That cross-over marketing can help the team secure sponsorship and fan loyalty while the car takes shape on track
Timeline & milestones to watch
2025 — ongoing development, testing and recruitment (engineers, factory fit-out).
2026 — the official on-track debut season. Watch early testing and the first few races to gauge pace and reliability.
2027–2028 — planned engine development and incremental performance steps, if the long-term power-unit plan stays on schedule.
FAQ — quick answers
Q1: Who are Cadillac’s confirmed F1 drivers?
Cadillac has announced Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas as the driver pairing for its 2026 debut.
Q2: When will Cadillac join Formula 1?
The team is set to debut in the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship as a new constructor.
Q3: Will Cadillac build its own engines?
Cadillac plans to start with established, externally supplied power units and aims to develop its own power unit in a future season as part of a staged technical strategy.
Q4: Where will the Cadillac team be based?
The project uses both UK and US facilities — combining Europe’s technical ecosystem with Cadillac’s US brand identity.
Q5: Is there any media/documentary about the project?
The team’s announcement included a high-profile reveal and video content; multiple outlets reported on media tie-ins and feature coverage accompanying the launch.