One of the drivers on the American team has decided to take a new seat.
Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez's teammate at Cadillac, would move to another seat before the start of the 2026 season. Many fans disagree with this move, as the former Mercedes driver is already behind the Mexican driver due to his previous contract.
It has recently been confirmed that the motorsport enthusiast will take to the track behind the wheel of a classic Ferrari before his official return to F1. Bottas will participate in the Adelaide Motorsport Festival at the end of February, before the Australian Grand Prix, and will drive a 1985 Ferrari.
The Ferrari 156/85, used in the inaugural F1 Grand Prix in Adelaide, was the car in which Michele Alboreto fought for the world championship, winning two races, although the title went to French legend Alain Prost. During the festival, Bottas will also meet with fans before turning his attention to the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, scheduled for the following week.
Checo managed to gain an advantage over his teammate by doing the seat test earlier, completing simulator work, and even having a private test with the Ferrari SF-23 that the Scuderia lent to his team. Therefore, we can deduce that there will be a clear leader at the beginning of Cadillac's history in the top flight.
The truth about Checo Pérez's contract with Cadillac for 2026
Sergio Pérez returned to Formula 1 with Cadillac, and one of the biggest questions on fans' minds is the length of his contract, as this could be his last team before retirement. According to recent reports, the Jalisco-born driver will earn a significant amount with the American team.
According to information from Diego Mejía, a renowned motorsports journalist, the Jalisco-born driver will be on the track for quite some time: "Checo has said he has two years with Cadillac. His contract, as far as I know, is a 2+1, two with conditions for a third. He has also said that he plans to stay as long as necessary to reap the rewards and that he is not setting a deadline for his last big project,” they reported.
According to reports, the driver will also receive bonuses for his results, such as championship positions, podiums, and victories, and his income will be increased by a percentage of official merchandise sales.
PlanetF1.com has learned that Pérez has signed a multi-year contract with Cadillac: "In addition, it is suggested that he has a base salary of close to $10 million, a contract that is supposedly equivalent to his previous contract with Red Bull.
“This is a huge advantage for Pérez, who was reportedly responsible for more than 60% of Red Bull's online merchandise sales. Cadillac has been interested in signing Pérez based primarily on what he can offer as a driver, rather than the impressive list of sponsors he has boasted in the past,” they said.