"I miss working with him" - Hamilton lavishes praise on ex-teammate set to race for Cadillac

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has lauded Cadillac's driver selection for their upcoming Formula 1 debut season.

The American team is set to join the sport next year and has opted for a seasoned approach, bringing in veterans Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.

The duo boasts a combined 527 starts, 16 victories, 105 podiums, and 23 pole positions.

According to Hamilton, who partnered with Bottas at Mercedes from 2017 to 2021, Cadillac has made an astute choice with Bottas and Perez.

"But they are getting one of the most honest and perhaps the most fun Finn. He is a genuine person they will be working with. I miss working with him. I believe they chose the right people. We'll see with Sergio; he also has a lot of experience.

"The knowledge they will bring from two great teams (Mercedes and Red Bull) will help Cadillac progress faster. I definitely think they made the right decision by choosing two experienced drivers. I think we have a good mix of young and experienced drivers on the grid.

"It will be great to have another team, and for a team to develop, it needs experienced drivers, especially when the team is new. They come with different knowledge from Red Bull and Mercedes, which they will be able to use to help the team move forward," added the current Ferrari driver.

Lewis Hamilton's highly anticipated debut season with Ferrari has been anything but smooth.

Despite joining the Scuderia with immense fanfare, the seven-time world champion has struggled to consistently match his teammate Charles Leclerc's pace.

While he's shown flashes of brilliance, a series of on-track setbacks and a notable P6 finish at the Italian Grand Prix have left him without a podium so far this year.

The next chance to turn his season around is at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which runs from September 19-21.