Mexico’s Sergio Checo Pérez and Finland’s Valtteri Bottas will be Cadillac’s two drivers for the upcoming Formula One season, the U.S. team confirmed Tuesday.
Cadillac, which is backed by General Motors and will be led by former Marussia sporting director Graeme Lowdon, will become the 11th Formula One team next season.
“Signing two drivers as experienced as Bottas and Checo Perez is a clear signal of intent. They have seen it all and know what it takes to succeed in Formula 1, but more importantly, they understand what it means to help build a team,” Lowdon said in a statement released by his team.
The move to Cadillac marks a comeback for the veteran drivers, both 35, after losing their respective seats in Formula One single-seaters at the end of last season.
Mexican Checo Pérez will bring his extensive F1 experience, having competed for Sauber, McLaren and Force India/Racing Point before moving to Red Bull, where he helped the team win the Constructors’ World Championship in 2022 and 2023.
“Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career. From our first conversations I could sense the passion and determination behind this project. It is an honor to be part of building a team that can develop together so that, in time, we will fight on the front line,” emphasizes the Mexican driver.
“Cadillac is a legendary brand in American motorsport and to help bring such a fantastic company to Formula 1 is a huge responsibility that I am confident in taking on.”
“I am proud to be part of such an ambitious and meaningful project from the very beginning. I am extremely pleased to be part of such a dynamic lineup and together I believe we can help turn this team into a true contender, the team of the Americas. We have the support of the entire continent and we want to make everyone proud,” says Checo Perez.
For Bottas, after enjoying success at Mercedes with a key role in the team that won the Constructors’ World Championship from 2017 to 2021, his move to Cadillac marks a return to the front line of racing.
“From the moment I started talking to the Cadillac Formula 1 team I felt something different. Something ambitious but at the same time grounded. This is not just a racing project, it’s a long-term vision. It’s not every day that you get the chance to be part of something that is built from scratch and help shape it so that it really belongs on the F1 grid,” the Finn said, according to EFE.
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