Cadillac enter Formula 1 in 2026 as the sport’s newest constructor and the first American manufacturer-backed team in decades. Backed by General Motors, the Cadillac project represents F1’s expansion into the American market and the sport’s growing relevance in the United States following the Netflix-fuelled boom.
The team have assembled a driver lineup built for stability and knowledge transfer. Sergio Perez brings years of experience at Red Bull Racing and a massive fanbase that spans Mexico and the Americas. Valtteri Bottas contributes championship-level experience from his Mercedes years, including intimate knowledge of what a world-class F1 operation looks like from the inside. Neither driver is a rookie, and that is deliberate.
As an expansion team entering under the new regulations, Cadillac benefit from the level playing field that a major rule change creates. Every team on the grid is learning simultaneously, which reduces the disadvantage of being new. Their power unit partnership and the backing of General Motors’ engineering resources provide a foundation that previous new entrants have lacked.
The American identity of the team adds a compelling dimension. With three US-based rounds on the 2026 calendar, Cadillac will have no shortage of home support. Miami in May, Austin in October, and Las Vegas in November give the team three opportunities to perform in front of an American audience.
US fans are well served by the three home races, spanning Eastern, Central, and Pacific time zones. For the European and Asian rounds, American viewers should expect early morning starts, with most European races kicking off between 07:00 and 09:00 ET.