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Cadillac have ‘guaranteed’ 2026 seat for 35-year-old driver, says F1 journalist

Originally posted on HITC | By Ben Evans | Last updated Aug 12, 2025 10:51 AM ET

The new F1 season hasn’t brought the same level of driver market drama as last year, when headlines were dominated by contract rumours and team moves.

This year’s grid has a fresh look, with six rookies making their debuts and big names like Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz leading the wave of changes across the paddock.

Mercedes are expected to finalise George Russell’s extension soon, pairing him with Andrea Kimi Antonelli and leaving only a few open seats for 2026.

Alpine still need to decide who will partner Pierre Gasly next season. Across the four Red Bull-backed teams, only Max Verstappen is confirmed for 2026.

In that regard, Cadillac’s situation is the most intriguing. They will enter Formula 1 next year, adding two more seats to the mix.

Plenty of drivers are interested in joining Graeme Lowdon’s team. While Cadillac have not named either driver yet, journalist Julianne Cerasoli believes there is one who is already ‘guaranteed’ a seat.

Valtteri Bottas expected to join Cadillac for the 2026 F1 season

Photo by Alessio Morgese / Stefano Facchin/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Cerasoli responded to a viewer question on her YouTube channel about Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich’s chances with Cadillac.

She said: “Perez is back in the running, Bottas is guaranteed. The short and honest answer is that I don’t know.

“The more complete answer is that apparently no one knows. There was a meeting at Cadillac last Tuesday with the board, GM, and the racing team as well, where they were going to discuss a series of things.

“It was a huge list, and one of the things on that list was the direction regarding the drivers, which is what no one knows.

“And even the people around Bottas were saying that we didn’t hear anything else.

“After that, right, Bottas was the one who was closer [to the seat] because he had already discussed details of his contract.

“I want to remind you that Bottas had already discussed and finalised the details of his contract with Sauber last year.

“So, it’s one thing to finalise the details, and another to put your signature on paper.”

Which driver ‘many people’ in the F1 paddock will join Valtteri Bottas at Cadillac next season?

While Bottas looks like the most likely candidate to land a seat with Cadillac, Cerasoli pointed out that he still is not locked in.

This season, Sauber chose rookie Gabriel Bortoleto over the 35-year-old driver, and the youngster’s recent form suggests that call may have been the right one.

A growing number of people around the paddock expect Sergio Perez to join Bottas at Cadillac for 2026. The pair would bring plenty of experience, which could be valuable for a new team trying to establish themselves.

Toto Wolff has said he will not stand in Bottas’ way if he finds an opportunity elsewhere, and expects him back on the grid soon enough.

Perez’s reputation has grown following Red Bull’s struggles with Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda this year. Meanwhile, Sauber have looked more stable since moving on from Bottas, which might give Cadillac pause before committing fully.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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