Bottas opens up on Cadillac F1 interest

Valtteri Bottas admits he sees the Cadillac entry into Formula 1 as “a very interesting project” that could be a bit different to previous teams, as he eyes a race seat in 2026.

Cadillac has been speaking to a number of different drivers, Bottas and Sergio Perez being two of the more experienced names that the General Motors-backed team has shown an interest in. Ten-time grand prix winner Bottas says he is keen to know about the potential to race for Cadillac around the summer break this year, and likes the idea of helping a new team establish itself.

"I don’t think they’re in a massive rush,” Bottas told F1’s ‘Beyond the Grid’ podcast. “They’ve been very, very busy on trying to get a car on the grid for next year.

“I know my timeline, when I want to know about next year and what plans do I need to make. I think, August, more or less, is a pretty good target for that. But hopefully we’ll hear something more soon.

“I think they have a few drivers on the list. I would imagine my experience will help because now I’ve raced in three different teams; with one of the teams had mega success. With Williams as well, had some great results, so I hope I’m in a good position.

“For me, I actually see a very interesting project, something new to F1, an American team with maybe a different view to the sport. If I would be there as a driver, it would be actually very interesting because you can start from scratch.

“The team starts from zero. You could actually make a big influence on certain things, which direction to go, and that would be very motivating and rewarding when the success comes.

“I think the rule change is always a good point to jump in because you just never know, if you suddenly get it right you might actually be doing really well from the get-go.”

Whether the Cadillac interest turns into something more concrete or not, the 35-year-old Bottas – who is currently working as one of Mercedes’ reserve options – says he is very keen to regain a spot on the F1 grid.

“I’m sitting here now without a race seat, not because of my own choice. I definitely still feel – and that emotion was quite quick after I knew I wouldn’t get a seat for this year – that I’m not done yet with F1.

“I still have more to give. It’s still the number one thing in my life. That sensation, now that I’ve been watching aside, has got stronger and stronger and stronger, and now I really start to miss racing.

“I just feel like the way especially the last two years went for me in my career, it’s definitely not the way I want things to finish. End of last year – some qualifying, some races – I felt like I was performing at my best ever.

“I haven’t felt any degradation in myself yet. That’s why I just want to keep going. We humans, we have deg, but I don’t have it yet!”