Bottas and Pérez: Cadillac F1 Team 2026 Preview and Betting Odds
The 2026 Formula 1 season begins on March 8 with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, and for the first time in decades an American constructor will be on the grid. Cadillac, a brand owned by General Motors, has signed veteran drivers Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas as starting drivers for its new team.
The constructor is entering in a season with broad regulation changes, arguably the biggest in years, and a competitive field of drivers with no clear favorite.
Despite that potentially chaotic season ahead, most experts agree Cadillac doesn’t have much of a chance of winning the Constructors’ Championship. But what exactly are the odds? And do either Bottas or Pérez have a decent chance of winning a race along the way?
How is the Cadillac Car and Team Shaping Up – and What Are Their Chances?
Cadillac is a financially powerful brand, being backed by General Motors. With Bottas and Pérez the team has got two experienced drivers who have Constructors’ Championship pedigree, and the technical expertise of the Cadillac team could bring something new to the grid alongside them.
The Cadillac cars will use Ferrari power units initially, but works are apparently underway on their own in-house engine for future seasons. Although a very experienced commercial and racing car maker, F1 is a completely new game. The American giant has been hiring rapidly across its US and UK facilities this year, and it will take the new team a while to bed in.
All of this is reflected in Cadillac’s long odds to win a Constructors’ Championship. Most sportsbooks price them at +20000 on the line, with some as high as +25000 and others at around +10000. Giving them an implied probability of around 0.4% to 1% according to the ‘books, which is the least likely of any team in the running.
Pérez and Bottas are also longshots to win the Driver’s Championship. Perez sits at the bottom of the odds list at almost every sportsbook, as high as +50000 to around +25000. Bottas is slightly more favorably rated, on average, but still gets similar long odds to Pérez at most major ‘books.
If you want to take a look at the all the F1 betting odds for 2026 yourself, an odds comparison site is the way to go. Pick one that combines detailed betting lines with promos and bonuses for maximum value. For example, you’ll find a list of offers available on Oddspedia, as well as all the F1 odds across dozens of sportsbooks.
Pérez Could Be Back with Something to Prove after a Year Out
Mexican F1 veteran Sergio Pérez has taken some time off the track, having left Red Bull after a disastrous 2024 season. Although he has relatively few Grand Prixs – six wins across 281 starts – Pérez did finish as runner up in the Driver’s Championship in 2023, losing to his dominant Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen.
That underlines his high ceiling as a world class driver, proving so just three seasons ago. However, with a new team and a year away from the top levels of the sport, few would bet on Pérez being near the top of the standings this year.
As well as being at the rock bottom of the Driver’s Championship odds, Pérez is also at the bottom of the pack in terms of chances to win a race. Most ‘books have him at around +2500 to +5000 to win a race across the season, and +25000 or more to win the opening Australian Grand Prix.
Quick Fact: Pérez holds the F1 record for most race starts before a Grand Prix win (190).
Twice Runner-Up Bottas Also Had a Quiet 2025
Valtteri Bottas is a driver that has, in recent years, had a similar career trajectory to Pérez. While his new Cadillac teammate has been off-track completely over the past year, Bottas remained on a team – but as a reserve driver at Mercedes. The same team where he finished runner up in the Driver’s Championship twice – 2019 and 2020 – behind a then dominating teammate in Lewis Hamilton.
In his first stint at Mercedes the Finn helped the team to five consecutive Constructors’ Championship wins, although he was somewhat in Hamilton’s shadow (literally and metaphorically) the entire time. On the flip side he did stack up a more than decent 10 Grand Prix victories and 20 pole position finishes over that time.
Bottas odds remain long for this season. Although he was good for at least one or two race wins a year over most of his F1 career, he hasn’t finished in a podium position or won a race since 2021. He also finished dead last in the Driver’s Championship in 2024 while at Sauber, and did not race in F1 as a reserve driver for Mercedes in 2025.
Now at Cadillac, the sportsbooks rate him as slightly more likely (but not much) than Pérez to win a race this year. Bottas averages at around +2500 to win a race across the season, although both are averaging +30000 to +50000 to win the opening Australian Grand Prix, which is essentially rated as 0% chance.
Neither of the two are considered likely to win a Driver’s Championship. Nor is Cadillac expected to do challenge for the Constructors’ Cup. But, with strong experience and a promising team it’s not impossible that either of these drivers could return to winning form for 2026/27.