Cadillac drops a cryptic message as rumors of a Sergio Perez-Valtteri Bottas announcement surface

The Cadillac F1 team took to its official social media account to share a cryptic video about its upcoming driver lineup. Sharing the video on Instagram, the American team hinted at an announcement on Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas for the upcoming 2026 F1 season.

The Cadillac F1 team is all set to enter Formula 1 in 2026 as the 11th team. With this, they will also be the second American team after Haas. As the team is set for a grand entrance, so are the drivers, according to the latest reports.

Former Red Bull man Sergio Perez, and current Mercedes reserve driver, Valtteri Bottas, are believed to have signed for the upcoming American team. Although the team has yet to announce its signatures.

With the official announcement pending, the team released a cryptic video on social media recently. Sharing the video on Instagram, the Cadillac F1 team wrote as "Radio check. Do you copy?" running in the background:

"Message received. Next transmission: Soon"

Here is the cryptic video:

Both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are immensely experienced F1 drivers. While Perez has 285 Grand Prix starts to his name, where he picked up six wins, 39 podiums, and three poles, his upcoming teammate, Valtteri Bottas, has 247 starts under his belt.

Bottas has 10 wins, 20 poles, and 67 podiums to his name. After his Kick Sauber tenure was over, Bottas joined Mercedes as a reserve driver behind George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Perez, on the other hand, is on a sabbatical after his Red Bull stint that ended in 2024.

Former boss hailed Sergio Perez ahead of Cadillac move

Sergio Perez's former boss, Otmar Szafnauer, praised the former Red Bull driver ahead of his Cadillac move. Speaking about the Mexican driver, who raced under him at Force India, here's what Szafnauer said:

Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Alfa Romeo - Source: Getty

“If he finds the right environment, with all of his experience at both smaller teams with less budget [than] Red Bull, he definitely has something to offer.”

“Especially perhaps, a new team coming in that needs an experienced driver for the first couple of years, Checo [Perez] would be a good addition," he further added.

Given Sergio Perez's popularity in North and South America, roping him in could pan out as a business masterstroke for Cadillac, as they are based in North America, too. Bottas, on the other hand, also brings in numerous experiences, as well as popularity for his flamboyant nature.

About the author

Sabyasachi Biswas is a passionate motorsport journalist for Sportskeeda, with a Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He has over eight years of experience in the field and has over 10000 published articles on the internet.

As a dedicated follower of motorsport, Sabyasachi watches events closely, ensuring his reports are thorough and supported by reputable sources. He is inspired by Max Verstappen’s fearless attitude and dreams of attending the Indian GP if it returns to the calendar. An ardent F1 fan over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel and is now following Verstappen's dominant journey on the track.

Apart from F1, he is a big-time NASCAR and football (also soccer) fan. Sabyasachi supports Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports and Spanish club, Real Madrid.

He was a sub-junior level footballer and won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak by nature, Sabyasachi likes to try different cuisines and learn about new cultures. When away from his keyboard, he enjoys soccer, geopolitics, and playing with Khushi & Ubbu - his adorable beagles.

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Edited by Sabyasachi Biswas