Sergio Perez Given Cadillac Race Seat Lifeline for the 2026 Season

A move to Cadillac F1's team could be on the cards for former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, as team advisor Mario Andretti keeps his options open for both seats.

Cadillac has been confirmed to join the grid in 2026 as a works team that will also build its engine.

"For the past year, we have worked hand in hand with GM to lay a robust foundation for an extraordinary Formula 1 entry,” Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports, said in a statement regarding the Cadillac entry.

“Now, with 2026 in our sights after today’s final approval from the FIA and Formula One Management, we’re accelerating our efforts — expanding our facilities, refining cutting-edge technologies, and continuing to assemble top-tier talent.”

According to Andretti, one of the seats will be occupied by an American, ideally, but he has now tipped his hand about what he is looking for in the second seat.

“The second cockpit will definitely be filled with an experienced driver who is available,” Andretti told the Spanish version of ESPN.

“The second cockpit will definitely be filled with an experienced driver who is available,” he added.

When pressed for a specific answer, Andretti said Perez "could be an option."

Cadillac is an American car manufacturer with a foothold in North America, which would make Perez an obvious choice in terms of marketing and the experience he provides.

Checo would be a massive boon to any team with a yearly race in Mexico due to his superstar-level popularity and regard he gets in his home country.

Perez was discarded after the 2024 season, which saw him regularly underperform in qualifying and get dominated by four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

While the seat may be offered, Perez has made it clear he is not desperate for any seat on the grid, an d he is looking for the right team and opportunity to step into. He could be willing to take a risk on a new team joining the grid, if their pitch entices the Mexican enough to get back in the driver's seat.

Other options for Cadallic could include Zhou Guanyu, Valteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, or even Kevin Magnussen.

The official announcement of the team joining the grid was only finalized a few weeks ago, meaning that the state of the team's facilities and car development remains unknown. The team is set to join at a time when order-shattering new regulations will take effect, marking a new era of cars and a potential reshuffling of the pecking order.