Local sporting luminary, Sergio “Checo” Perez, is set to return to the Formula One grid next year with the new Cadillac team, after sitting out the 2025 season.

The Guadalajara-born driver will race for the fledgling U.S.-based outfit, which is backed by General Motors. He will be partnered by Finland’s Valtteri Bottas as the team’s second driver.

Dan Towriss, the team principal of the Cadillac outfit, said: “Bottas and Checo bring the perfect balance of talent, maturity and drive … They’re not just accomplished racers, they’re builders, collaborators and professionals who will help define what the Cadillac Formula 1 Team stands for. It’s the beginning of a bold new chapter in American motorsport.”

Perez, 35, raced for Red Bull from 2021 to 2024 but was replaced after a disappointing fourth season. He was the runner-up in the 2023 World Championship and has won six Grands Prix across 14 seasons, including the iconic Monaco Grand Prix in 2022.