Cadillac told ‘that’s the pair’, but for just one year

Ahead of what PlanetF1.com understands will be confirmation that Sergio Perez will race for Cadillac next year, Juan Pablo Montoya says the American team’s drivers should only be given “one year” deal.

Cadillac will join the F1 2026 grid next season, the American team confirmed as the sport’s 11th outfit.

Cadillac has not confirmed either F1 2026 driver

But while that opens the door for two new drivers to race in the sport, it looks as if it could mark the return of two former drivers, with Cadillac linked to several former pilots who are seeking a comeback.

Multiple sources have told PlanetF1.com that former Red Bull driver Perez has reached an agreement with Cadillac that will see him return to the grid next season, with an announcement expected around the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Confirmation of his return would spell an end to a year on the sidelines, with the Mexican released from his Red Bull contract at the conclusion of the F1 2024 season; the timing of this being too late for Perez to find a seat elsewhere on the grid.4

His team-mate, though, is still in the air.

While Mercedes race winner Valtteri Bottas has been linked to the seat, so too have former drivers Zhou Guanyu, Mick Schumacher and Jack Doohan. Newcomers Felipe Drugovich and McLaren’s Alex Dunne have also been mentioned in the conversation.

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Former F1 driver Montoya reckons for its first season, Cadillac should go with two experienced F1 drivers, but after that, drop one to make room for a newcomer.

“Yes, for me, I think that’s the pair,” Montoya said of Perez and Bottas to AS Colombia, “and the way I think they should do it is sign one for two years and the other for one year.

“Commit one for two or three years and then start looking for someone younger who can be more of a future for them.

“Because the two drivers they have would be very good, but they’re drivers that in two or three years will already be thinking about stopping.

“But for the beginning of the team, it would be the ideal pair.”

Pressed on whether Perez or Bottas should get the longer deal, the former McLaren driver said: “Of the two, Checo. I think Checo would fit them a little better with the profile and everything, but Bottas is also very fast.

“So there you have to see exactly. Exactly. It depends on how motivated Valtteri is, because I think Valtteri is very fast and can be faster than Checo, but Valtteri is very emotional, it depends on the day.”

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