Why should Cadillac hire Perez, Bottas, or Schumacher for 2026?
F1 NewsMonday, 04 August 2025 at 19:40
Jacques Villeneuve has cast doubt on whether Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, or Mick Schumacher are the right choices to lead the new Cadillac Formula 1 team, challenging recent media speculation linking all three to the 2026 grid debut.
While Bottas and Perez are both Grand Prix winners and veterans of championship-winning teams, 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, Villeneuve believes neither has demonstrated the technical leadership or long-term commitment needed to shape a brand-new entry like Cadillac.
“Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas were not great at developing a team and a car,” Villeneuve said in an interview this week. “A team like Cadillac needs experience. You need a base. We don’t know either, when it was Bottas-Hamilton, who was influential in developing the car the most? We don’t know.”
Villeneuve questioned Bottas’ motivation during his stint with Sauber after leaving Mercedes: “Obviously after having been years at Mercedes, you get to Sauber, you're not really interested. I think Bottas lost a little bit of interest while he was racing there. Maybe a new team will put him back on the Mercedes level he had.”
Perez: Wasn’t an influence’ in Red Bull development
Turning to Perez, Villeneuve was blunt in his assessment of the Mexican’s contribution during his time alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull: “Perez, on the other hand, was in the best team and obviously he wasn't an influence in developing or understanding the car.
"He was always quick early in the season, but after a few races once Max had figured it out, worked with engineers, understood which direction to go and make the car move forward, he kept pushing Perez backwards. Is that kind of experience useful for a new team?
"You need a driver that is capable of understanding the car and telling them, ‘Listen, this is really the wrong direction.’ That’s what Max is very good at. He’s very old-fashioned in that way. Alonso is good like that as well. Perez has not shown that aspect.”
Villeneuve said it's critical for a F1 startup like Cadillac to evaluate not just a driver’s resume, but their development acumen. “That’s what teams have to look at as well and it’s very hard for us to judge because we don’t know all the insights.
"But teams are capable of talking with other teams to find out how a driver was working. I’m sure that Cadillac has done its due diligence and figured it out," he reckoned.
Villeneuve: There’s no reason for Cadillac to go for Mick
As for Mick Schumacher, whose name has also been linked to a potential return via Cadillac, Villeneuve dismissed the idea outright: “Mick had a hard time when he was at Haas. He’s not an experienced driver either. There’s no reason for Cadillac to go for him.”
Despite his criticism of Perez and Schumacher, Villeneuve acknowledged that Bottas still brings valuable attributes. “Bottas has a lot of experience and he’s shown that he can win races.
"And he’s been with an amazing team in Mercedes. So that’s good attributes to have. It’s hard to judge his Sauber years. I don’t think there was any hunger there," ventured Villeneuve.
With Cadillac set to enter Formula 1 in 2026, the driver selection process will be one of the most closely watched aspects of the American team’s long-awaited debut. For now the team are in no rush to appoint drivers.
Villeneuve’s verdict is clear: experience matters, but only if it comes with leadership and ambition.
(Source: Vision4Sport, who provide Formula 1 tickets and packages)
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