The Athletic

The Race is on, and it's official.

Cadillac has announced Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will race for its new Formula One team in 2026, both on multi-yo deals.

But why has it gone for experience over youth? And what does it tell us about the ambitions and priorities of this project? I'm Edgdrae, and joining me to tell all, it's John Noble. Well, John, let's get straight into it. Where do you fall in this debate? Some people hail the pragmatism and think it's a great deal for them to get Perez and Bottas,

others think it's a little bit dull. Where do you stand? Yeah, there is a romanticism. When people talked about a new team coming into Formula One, it was viewed as a, this is a great opportunity

for two extra seats, this can go to youngsters. You know, we've got some great talent coming

through, you know, people like Alex Dunn, for example, you know, great season go to youngsters. You know, we've got some great talent coming through.

You know, people like Alex Dunn, for example, you know,

great season in Formula 2.

This was a perfect birth for him.

You know, what a great way to start your F1 career with a new team and push forwards.

But I think Cadillac have taken the pragmatic approach.

They've used their head.

And I think they understand that the challenge of Formula One,

this isn't the time to bring a youngster in and develop him and push him forwards.

This is about getting a team who hasn't raced in Formula One with a lot of people who've not been in Formula One, with a car that's new to Formula One in an era with new Formula One rules, new cars, new engines, everything. It's not a time to have new drivers. It's a time to go for experience. It's a time to go for speed. I think it's been a tough, I mean, I spoke to Dan Tarris, the CEO of the Cadillac team. So it's been a tough decision to make, but it's what they have to do. If they want to get serious, if they want to push this project forwards. And this is about laying foundations of the future and a future that three, four years time down the road, we can get the youngsters in. But right now, it needs all the help. You can get to, you know, get pushed forwards and become respectable. Yeah, and this thing of experience is invaluable.

It's not just experience in the car.

It's experience off track as well,

because this is all being built up from scratch.

There's no pre-existing stuff.

So all the systems, the knowledge,

there's endless intangible elements

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