Damon Hill has a 4-word reaction to Cadillac announcing Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as the two drivers for 2026

Former F1 driver Damon Hill dropped a sarcastic reaction to Cadillac's signing of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas for their maiden Formula 1 season. The drivers will mark their return to racing next year, joining the newest 11th team on the grid.

Cadillac's entry on the F1 grid for the 2026 season was approved earlier in March this year. This approval was followed by numerous driver speculations, and two names were the frontrunners for the seats: Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. Both drivers have ample experience, have been competitive, and were free agents.

Their names were circulated through various reports from media houses, almost confirming the lineup. All that remained was the official announcement, which was made earlier this week.

Reacting to Cadillac announcing Bottas and Perez, former F1 driver Damon Hill posted a sarcastic note on his Instagram story.

"You call this news?😉👍," Hill wrote.

Damon Hill reacts to Cadillac driver announcement (@96f1champ on Instagram)

Both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas have been out of racing this season. The latter was signed with Sauber earlier, but not retained. Perez's story had more twists, as Red Bull initially gave him a two-year extension, but the contract was terminated shortly after the season ended. However, he has moved past the Milton Keynes-based team.

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Sergio Perez feels he has "nothing to prove" after Red Bull dismissal

Sergio Perez raced for Red Bull Racing between 2021 and 2023. He proved to be an extremely competitive driver. While mostly defensive, he did manage to pull off multiple victories during the team's dominant period, finishing the championship in second place while his teammate, Max Verstappen, clinched his title.

However, his performance took a hit in the later stages of the 2023 season, and his contract was terminated as he departed from RBR. This left him without a seat in 2024, but as he looks forward to his return, Sergio Perez has nothing left to look behind on. Speaking to the media, he mentioned that he doesn't need to prove himself regarding his performance.

"I feel like there's nothing to prove. Not just because of the current drivers or the next drivers that were in my seat but even before that. Now everyone forgets about it, but it's been a very tricky place to be in, to constantly be adapting, to build confidence mentally."

He added:

"It's a very unique challenge. I don't think I have anything to prove when you see the amount of points they've scored. It's like five points in the entire season [seven points, actually]."

Red Bull's form gradually wore off this season as they failed to compete with the dominating McLaren. The team currently sits in fourth place in the Constructors' Championship, with most points scored by Verstappen. His teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, has scored seven points since joining the team.