Sergio Perez set for F1 return with Cadillac

Sergio Perez appears to be the primary candidate for one of the two Cadillac seats in 2026.

As per Fox Sports Mexico, the 35-year-old is in line to reclaim a seat on the grid for 2026, as negotiations are underway.

The 11th team on the grid had already stated their intentions to have an experienced driver, and with Perez winning six Grand Prix across 14 seasons, he certainly fits the bill.

There had been fears the Mexican's F1 career was over after he scored just two points in his final ten weekends.

However, Liam Lawson's struggles with the Red Bull this year have shown that maybe Perez wasn't entirely the problem after all.

And this was something noticed by Cadillac advisor Mario Andretti who said: "All I can say is that Liam Lawson is making Checo look very, very good."

Sergio seems to be the perfect fit for Cadillac, who have also made clear their desire to give an American driver a seat, and whilst Sergio may not be American, his Mexican fanbase spreads far into the US.

Also, all expectations are that Cadillac won't be able to challenge at the front from the get-go, and Sergio has a brilliant track record driving in the midfield that many seem to have forgotten after his Red Bull spell.

In 2020 he unbelievably finished P4 in the drivers standings and was one of the drivers of the season. His last to first, maiden win in Sakhir stands out as one of the most impressive victories of the decade.

When speaking of Sergio, you also have to highlight the financial backing he brings due to his vast marketability with the Mexican market. It was arguably one of the main reasons he was able to stay at Red Bull so long, which shows how big of a factor it is.

However, nothing is set in stone, and other experienced drivers will be putting forward their case for the seat.

Valtteri Bottas is known to be on Cadillac's radar, and with the Finn driver keeping himself active in his reserve role at Mercedes and now McLaren, he could still have a say in the matter.

It does appear as though the team will go for a younger but still experienced driver for the second seat, with Zhou Guanyu, Colton Herta and even Logan Sargeant seemingly in the running.

Who do you think will get the two Cadillac seats for 2026? Let us know on our Instagram @ShefF1Podcast or Twitter/X @F1Shef