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Sergio Pérez fears his Cadillac stint could last just a single season. According to Spanish outlet Marca, the Mexican believes the American team may replace both him and Valtteri Bottas after 2026, opting instead for a completely fresh driver lineup featuring Colton Herta and Ferrari junior Rafael Camara. Williams has emerged as the most credible alternative destination should Pérez find himself without a seat.
Cadillac selected Pérez and Bottas precisely because the new Formula 1 entrant needed experience and stability during its debut campaign. Both drivers brought over 400 race starts between them, valuable institutional knowledge for a team building its infrastructure from scratch. Yet as the team looks beyond its inaugural season, the calculation appears to be shifting. Youth development, not veteran guidance, may define the next phase of the Cadillac project.
Herta has long been linked with a Cadillac seat, particularly given his American nationality and existing ties to the General Motors brand. The IndyCar race winner would offer commercial appeal in the North American market and represents the kind of homegrown talent General Motors would naturally favour. Camara, meanwhile, has impressed in the junior categories and carries Ferrari backing, though any move to Cadillac would require disentangling from the Scuderia's development programme.
Cadillac's risky gamble on inexperience
Replacing both drivers after a single season would represent a significant gamble for Cadillac. Pérez and Bottas were hired specifically to guide the team through the steep learning curve of its first years in Formula 1. Ditching that experience wholesale in favour of two drivers with zero or limited grand prix mileage would leave Cadillac without a reference point, particularly in a season where car development will be critical to establishing competitiveness.
Pérez's concern, according to Marca, centres on the possibility that Cadillac may not differentiate between the two experienced drivers. While Bottas has been widely expected to make way for Herta, Pérez now fears he could be equally expendable. A double change would signal that Cadillac views the 2026 season as a transitional year rather than the foundation of a long-term project built around its current lineup.
Williams option opens as Sainz exit looms
Williams represents the clearest alternative for Pérez should Cadillac proceed with the change. Carlos Sainz is widely expected to leave Williams in 2027, potentially for Audi or another frontrunning team, and the Grove-based squad would need an experienced replacement. Earlier speculation linking Pérez to Aston Martin has cooled, leaving Williams as the most realistic destination.
Speaking to Racer last week, Pérez maintained his commitment to the Cadillac project. "It's nice to see that other teams are showing interest. When you perform well, your value naturally rises. Things can always change, but for me the most important thing is to see what happens with this project in the coming months. I want to continue this challenge," he said.
Williams would offer Pérez the stability of an established team with renewed ambition under James Vowles. Whether he gets the chance to stay at Cadillac or is forced to look elsewhere will depend on how seriously General Motors pursues its apparent preference for youth over experience. For Bottas, the writing appears to be on the wall. For Pérez, the uncertainty is newer, and more unsettling.
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