Cadillac F1 signed two veteran drivers — Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas — and a former champion gave his take on the decision.
Entering as the 11th team on the grid, Cadillac has a mountain to climb to be ready for the start of the season.
Since the car is expected to need a lot of work, the American racing team opted for two experienced drivers.
Together, Perez and Bottas have competed in 527 races between them at various teams. The pair have raced for development teams who are finding their footing and established teams that are fighting for a title.
Now that the driver lineup is established, 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve provided his verdict on Bottas and Perez.
“Experience is important when you’re a new team, but there’s different kinds of experiences,” he said on Sky Sports.
“Good experience and bad experience. Experience doesn’t mean you’re quick or great, but Bottas won against Lewis, was very active in moving the Mercedes car forward.
“It was hard at Sauber, I think he had just lost interest so if you take the Bottas of Mercedes, great, and he has image. Perez won and comes with cash as well.”
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Perez’s last seat in F1 was at Red Bull, where he struggled to match Max Verstappen’s pace. Despite the team’s patience, they axed the Mexican after 2024.
Bottas, meanwhile, drove solidly for Sauber. His car was a lower midfield car, and while he struggled to score points, he showed a willingness to deal with a slow car.
They are both on their last chance in F1, returning to the sport in an effort to prove they can still deliver.
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Cadillac is building a car from scratch for the 2026 regulations, which will totally change the engine formula and aerodynamics of the car.
Since the team has no reference point in terms of building an F1 car, Cadillac is entering the coming season with reasonable expectations.
They should be a backmarker team next season, firmly at the bottom for most, if not all, of the season.
It will provide a learning experience from which the team can build upon.
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