Cadillac, the sport’s most-hyped new entrant, is expected to lock in its 2026 driver line-up as soon as next week. And if the paddock whispers are right, it’ll be Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas leading the charge.

Cue the reactions. Some fans already branding it uninspired. Others pointing to younger names like Mick Schumacher or Colton Herta as better fits. Talk of Cadillac playing it too safe. Wasted seats, missed opportunities, the usual noise.

But here’s the thing: Cadillac isn’t here to play fantasy F1. They’re here to survive year one. And for that job, Perez and Bottas are just about perfect.

Think about what it takes for a new team to even show up on the grid in modern F1.

Haas was the last to do it in 2016, and it leaned heavily on Ferrari’s technical arm and Dallara’s construction expertise just to make it work.

Even then, the American squad spent years oscillating between midfield flashes and backmarker slumps, only now finding stability under the cost cap.

A completely fresh entrant like Cadillac will have an even harder climb: new systems, new factory, no legacy data, and no guarantee their first car will even hit the right performance window.

In that environment, the last thing you need is a pair of rookies still learning how to handle tyre deg in dirty air.

What you need are cool heads who know exactly what “normal” looks like in this sport — who can tell you if your correlation is off, if your race strategy is naïve, or if your development pathway is running wide of the mark.

That’s where Perez and Bottas come in.

Between them: 400 grands prix starts, more than a dozen wins, and reputations for delivering points in machinery that isn’t always up to scratch.

Bottas spent five seasons playing the wingman role at Mercedes during the Hamilton era, but he also helped refine the most dominant power unit the sport has ever seen.

At Alfa Romeo, he led development feedback and became the reference point for Zhou Guanyu. He’s seen both ends of the grid — and knows the difference between a car with potential and a dead-end concept.

Perez, meanwhile, has spent years rescuing points in midfield machinery.

His 2020 win in Sakhir for Racing Point was a masterclass in damage limitation turned opportunity, and even in the pressure cooker of Red Bull he’s shown an ability to take the fight to the frontrunners when the car and confidence align.

Yes, 2024 exposed his limits alongside Max Verstappen, but Cadillac isn’t asking him to beat Verstappen. They’re asking him to drag a car from P12 to P8 on a Sunday. That, more than anything, is his trademark.

Cadillac also understands this isn’t just about lap times. F1 today is a global business, and General Motors is playing for reach.

Perez opens the door to Mexico and Latin America, a market GM is deeply invested in. Bottas brings European credibility and a loyal fanbase that buys into his no-nonsense personality.

For a team trying to build relevance overnight, that combination matters. Marketing departments love rookies, but they love bankable household names more.

Of course, the critics aren’t entirely wrong.

Both are past 30. Neither is a long-term cornerstone. If Cadillac locks in Perez and Bottas together, it’s signing up to shop for replacements within three years.

That’s why Juan Pablo Montoya’s recent suggestion — stagger the contracts, lock one in longer, keep the other flexible — is so logical. It gives Cadillac stability without boxing them into an aging line-up when the next F2 hotshot inevitably comes knocking.

Because Cadillac will need to think about youth eventually.

Colton Herta is the obvious link — a Chevrolet-backed IndyCar star with unfinished F1 business. Mick Schumacher remains in the orbit, while the junior ladder can throw up wildcards at any moment.

But that’s a problem for year three or four, when Cadillac has an actual car to offer. Year one is about banking points, avoiding embarrassment, and proving they can run a race team without the wheels coming off.

There’s also precedent here.

Look at Red Bull’s debut in 2005: they leaned on David Coulthard, a grizzled veteran who gave them credibility and direction while Christian Horner built the team around youth.

Look at Mercedes in 2010: they paired Nico Rosberg with Michael Schumacher, a legend past his peak but invaluable in setting a cultural baseline.

Both projects moved beyond those pairings, but both needed that foundation at the start. Cadillac, in its own way, is simply repeating the formula.

So no — Bottas and Perez aren’t Cadillac’s forever plan. They’re Cadillac’s insurance policy. Proof the team values points over headlines, stability over hype.

It may not be the sexiest announcement, but it’s exactly the kind of sober call a serious new entrant has to make.

And if the rumours prove true next week, don’t expect fireworks. Expect two veterans shaking hands, sliding into their seats, and quietly getting on with the job.

Because sometimes, the smart move isn’t the riskiest one. It’s the one that gives you the highest floor.

And right now, Cadillac doesn’t need a ceiling. It just needs to make sure the floor doesn’t collapse beneath it.