Graeme Lowdon: Enthusiastic driver line-up will 'help gel everything together' at Cadillac

The upcoming Cadillac Formula 1 team announced its debut driver line-up, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, on 26 August 2025. Team principal Graeme Lowdon has now given some insight into the reaction of the drivers, claiming that their excitement will help "gel everything together".

"It was great to see the reaction of the drivers as well," Lowdon explained to F1.com.

"Obviously, it's clear for everyone we've gone for experience with Valtteri and Checo. But when we told each driver, there was that spark of excitement as well and, for me, that's what I look for.

"Then we look for their enthusiasm because if you have an enthusiastic driver line-up, that helps gel everything together. And that's what we're building now, it's a team and teams are all about people and it's bringing all those people together."

Perez will join Cadillac on the back of a year out of a full-time F1 seat after being replaced at Red Bull by rookie Liam Lawson ahead of the 2025 season. Over his 14-year stint in the championship, he has driven for teams including Sauber, McLaren, Force India, Racing Point, and Red Bull, and has accumulated six wins, 39 podium finishes, and three pole positions.

"I don't think he will have forgotten how to drive, that's for sure," Lowdon explained about the Mexican driver. "He's doing a bit of karting and we'll have him on the simulator quite soon. We're going to do some testing in real-world cars as well. So I've got no doubts that he'll be back up to speed in time.

"Obviously one of the advantages that we have in 2026 is unlike a normal championship year, where there's only three days of testing, for 2026 there's going to be an initial test in Barcelona and then two additional tests in Bahrain. We'll have three times the amount of testing so that will help get them up to speed as well."

Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Cadillac

Photo by: Cadillac Communications

After failing to secure a contract extension with Sauber at the end of 2024, Bottas returned to Mercedes as a reserve driver in 2025. Over a 12-year career in a full-time seat, the Finnish driver raced for Williams, Mercedes, and Alfa Romeo/Sauber, amassing 10 grand prix wins, 67 podium finishes, and 20 pole positions. 

"With Valtteri, it'll help a lot [that he's been with Mercedes] because there's a lot that is new in 2026 in terms of tyres and power units in particular," Lowdon added. "So having an experienced driver like Valtteri, who's up to speed on that kind of thing is valuable.

"The drivers don't get to see the in-depth design secrets and all the rest of it but I think it's quite valuable to have a driver who hasn't left the paddock, so each weekend he'll be in all the engineering meetings, his mind staying sharp."