Who will partner Sergio Perez at Cadillac in 2027, and why Bottas is under pressure

With Sergio Perez confirmed at Cadillac, all the attention now is on who will become the Mexican’s teammate in F1 2027?

Cadillac has re-signed Sergio Perez on a new contract extension that takes the Mexican driver through until at least 2029, but who will be his teammate next year?

Who could join Sergio Perez at Cadillac as Valtteri Bottas fights to keep his seat?

The signing of two seasoned veterans in Perez and Valtteri Bottas for this year was an extremely logical one: both are race winners, both boast long-term experience of championship-winning teams, and both are dependable and solid performers.

But, with three-quarters of the season completed, it’s become clear that one of those drivers has managed to get more from the package overall, with Perez underlining the reasons why Red Bull plumped for him when looking for a replacement for Alex Albon in 2020.

While both drivers have encountered their fair share of mechanical trouble throughout the year, it’s Perez who is finishing the season with a restored reputation after his ignominious end to his life at Red Bull, but Bottas has not managed to bounce back from his year on the sidelines in quite the same manner.

Why is Valtteri Bottas under pressure at Cadillac?

Early in the year, Bottas found himself at the centre of rumours that suggested American driver Colton Herta was set to take his seat after just a handful of races, rumours that were quickly shot down by then-team boss Graeme Lowdon as being without any merit or truth.

At the time, Lowdon clarified that there was no obvious reason for a disparity in performance between Perez and Bottas, saying, “If you’re asking if there is something really obvious with his preparation, or with his car or whatever, then no, there’s nothing, no standout reason why there should be any difference.

“Clearly, there’s been some differences in the last couple of races, in terms of pace and stuff like that, and as ever, there are always elements that contribute, whether it’s setup stuff that we’re trying, or damage, or whatever else, or even just performance of the driver – as I said before, that can vary.

Half a season later, and the picture hasn’t changed much: Perez has remained clearly in front of Bottas for most of the season, although Lowdon, immediately prior to his sacking, did reveal that, in his eyes, there was no reason to doubt Bottas.

“We’re asking the drivers to do different things all the time,” he said.

“They’re an integral part, both Valtteri and Checo, very much an integral part of the team. And one of the reasons why we wanted them in the team is their experience in multiple team environments.

“They know how important it is to build the engineering team up, to build the mechanics, the designers, everybody. So I think it’s fair to say that they’re doing more than just driving the car.

“It’s rare that we’re asking them to do exactly the same thing at exactly the same time. So I wouldn’t want to suggest that Valtteri is struggling in any way. I think he’s playing his part at the very pinnacle of motorsport, and he’s helping to drive the team forward.”

But sources have suggested that, from Madrid onwards, after Lowdon’s firing, that perspective on Bottas has shifted and the Finn’s deficit to Perez has come more sharply into focus.

This uncertainty over his form has escalated to the point where Cadillac is now understood to be actively evaluating its options for 2027, although the preference still remains to continue with the veteran driver as opposed to taking a risk on a rookie.

It’s a stance that is said to be shared by Perez himself, with the risks associated with a rookie potentially being detrimental in terms of the team’s operating budget for development under the financial regulations, particularly if the rookie is prone to damaging the car.

Colton Herta emerges as the leading alternative to Bottas

The situation, at present, is said to be a relatively straightforward case of it being Bottas vs. Herta for the second seat, with the team eager to continue with the Finn. However, sources have suggested that General Motors is pushing hard for Herta to be given the nod, off the back of his established success in IndyCar with the Andretti Global team – the decision, it’s said, has not yet been made.

In order for Herta to be eligible, he will take part in first practice in Mexico, in Bottas’ car, and must rack up at least 100 kilometres – 24 laps – in order to tick the box to earn an FIA Super Licence points.

He is currently on 39 points, meaning completion of this quest will see him reach the required 40 points for the current three-year period, earning him the mandatory licence needed for Formula 1.

“I think I’ll know in the next few weeks about what’s going to happen,” Herta said after his FP1 session in Austin.

“I think there are a lot of questions for me on what I’m doing next year too, and what that can look like. And so, I’m hoping that I can figure out my programme soon.

“My goal is still to be in Formula 1. Right, that’s the goal: to get there as soon as possible with Cadillac, with GM, with TWG, and this is where I want to be.

“So I’m focused on trying to get here as soon as possible.”

Which other drivers are in contention for Cadillac’s 2027 seat?

Last week, team boss Marcin Budkowski revealed that “pretty much” any driver on the market has reached out to Cadillac, although he stopped shy of revealing who they may be.

Esteban Ocon is understood to be one of those drivers, although sources have indicated that the Haas driver is not seen as a significant enough upgrade to warrant the drawback of breaking continuity and momentum with Bottas.

With his availability on the market, Yuki Tsunoda is also said to have reached out, while speculation suggesting Liam Lawson has made contact is understood to be wide of the mark, as the Kiwi is said to only have eyes on continuing with Red Bull for 2027.

Another candidate understood to have reached out to Cadillac is current F2 racer Alex Dunne but, with the pipeline of emerging American talent waiting in the wings at Cadillac, the Irish driver’s talks are understood to have not progressed past the point of exploratory.

Could Ugo Ugochukwu become Cadillac’s next American F1 star?

This pipeline not only consists of Herta, but also the new F3 Champion, Ugo Ugochukwu. The American racer has already amassed the points needed for an FIA Super Licence, sparking speculation earlier this season that he could leapfrog Herta into the seat.

But Ugochukwu himself has downplayed this possibility, in conversation with PlanetF1.com, with his likely destination being Campos Racing in Formula 2 next season, alongside FP1 appearances with Cadillac that could open the door for a 2028 promotion.

Will Cadillac stick with Bottas or take a gamble on Herta?

It’s in this question that Cadillac may make its decision for next season: is Perez’s teammate for 2027 merely a placeholder until Ugochukwu is ready to step up, or does the American team take a gamble on Herta?

What does seem evident is that an American talent is likely to be promoted within the not-too-distant future, unless Bottas can do enough to stave off that possibility.

At present, sources suggest that it remains in the Finn’s hands, indicating he has time yet to convince Cadillac bosses that he is the right driver to continue alongside Perez, but it seems inevitable that, at some point, either Herta or Ugochukwu will get their chance.

Read Next: F1 driver contracts: What is the contract status of every driver on the F1 2026 grid?