Man, Valtteri Bottas. Out of nowhere, he’s dropping hints about Cadillac’s F1 driver lineup. Seriously, the suspense! He’s linked with a seat, and everyone’s buzzing. So, Bottas, right? Used to be Mercedes’ third driver in 2025 after falling off the regular grid. Stake snatched up this hotshot, Gabriel Bortoleto, F2 champ, and there went Bottas.
246 races, 10 wins, helped Mercedes snag constructors’ titles from 2017 to 2021. Dude’s got credentials. Cadillac’s jumping into F1 in 2026 and Bottas seems like a perfect choice. Could be because he’s got experience with Ferrari engines from his Alfa Romeo days. Said something about why he believes he’s in a “good position” for a seat. Fingers crossed, buddy.
He rambled on F1’s Beyond The Grid podcast, saying Cadillac’s focused on getting a car ready for the next year. No rush on driver decisions, apparently. He chuckled—well, maybe chuckled is too strong a word—about having raced for three teams, and having “mega” success with one. Williams had its moments too, right? Bottas just seemed hopeful. Thinks he’ll know where he stands around August, so we wait. Sorta like waiting for rain in a drought.
And, the dude’s pumped. He sees Cadillac as this fresh, exciting project—like diving into a pool without checking if there’s water. He’d start from zero, make a difference, the whole shebang. There’s something about rule changes too, like things might suddenly click. Who knows, really.
Alright, shift gears a sec—because, plot twist, Bottas thought he’d be racing in 2025. Nope. Stake switched directions, snagged young gun Bortoleto as they eye an Audi transformation in 2026. Hulkenberg’s the seasoned vet now. Honestly, Bottas handled it like a pro but still feels he’s got gas in the tank.
He wasn’t planning on sitting out, you know? Almost funny how life flips. After missing out on a seat, he admitted feeling he’s not done with F1. Like, here’s a man reflecting, not ready to sign off from the scene. Last couple of years not so hot, but he reckons he nailed some qualifiers and races last year. Man’s not worn out. Not yet, anyway. Just waiting for another shot, hoping people notice he’s still got that spark.
