Valtteri Bottas has confirmed his interest in driving for the new Cadillac F1 team in 2026. The Finn lost his Sauber drive in November with the Audi-bound team opting to sign Nico HĂŒlkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto to their lineup.
He admitted that joining Sauber was a “mistake“. What happened next was a homecoming to Mercedes as a reserve driver, the team where he took all his 10 career victories. In his role, Bottas also serves as a mentor to Mercedes’ rookie driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
The 10-time race winner said he is still aiming for a full-time seat in 2026. With Cadillac entry confirmed, it presents an interesting opportunity.
The pursuit of drivers by Cadillac for 2026 F1 season
On 7 March 2025, Cadillac announced they would be an official entrant for the 2026 F1 season. Team Principal Graeme Lowdon wants his outfit to be competitive from the beginning. He is comfortable with the team’s current position and aims to hire more personnel.
Cadillac already has more than 200 staff in their ranks, including former Renault technical specialists Nick Chester and Pat Symonds. However, the question remains â who will be the drivers?
Finalising the drivers’ lineup will be the main priority for Lowdon. The selection is based âon meritâ, and an American driver could be involved at some point in the future.
“For sure weâre going to hire drivers based on merit. But as such, we see no reason why we wonât have American drivers in time. Thereâs nothing preventing a driver [from] being selected on merit and being American.”
Bottas fancies his chances to return to full-time F1 seat with Cadillac
Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, the 35-year-old finds himself at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival where he is driving the DTM Mercedes 190E.
During a media appearance, Valtteri Bottas confirmed that he has expressed his interest in driving for Cadillac F1 in 2026, giving a firm “yes”.
“When I learned at the end of last year that I’m not going to be on the grid for 2025, immediately I knew that I’m not done yet, this is not how it ends.
“So my target is to be back on the grid and like I said earlier, that’s one opportunity and of course we’re talking, but let’s see what happens.”
