Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has expressed significant doubts regarding Valtteri Bottas’ motivation and long-term future with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team. Steiner suggests the Finnish driver has shown signs of having ‘given up’ during a challenging debut 2026 season for the American outfit.
Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner rated Bottas’ performance with a ‘D’ grade, contrasting it with teammate Sergio Perez, who received a ‘C’. Steiner indicated that Perez continues to exert effort despite the car’s limitations, while Bottas appears to lack similar drive.
Cadillac entered the Formula 1 grid in 2026 as the 11th team, utilizing Ferrari power units. The team has struggled significantly in its inaugural season, currently holding last place in the constructors’ championship with no points after 11 Grands Prix.
The team’s best race result to date is a 13th-place finish. Bottas’ performance has been further impacted by four retirements in the last six races, contributing to his position behind Perez in the head-to-head race finishes.
Despite Steiner’s assessment, Bottas has publicly dismissed concerns about his position at Cadillac. He stated that he has no worries regarding his future and will not be involved in the current ‘silly season’ discussions for 2027.
Bottas confirmed that the team immediately addressed the rumours, assuring him they were entirely false. Both Bottas and Perez signed multi-year contracts with Cadillac, with their agreements extending beyond the 2026 season.
Cadillac’s entry into Formula 1 was officially approved in March 2025, with General Motors collaborating with TWG Motorsports. The team operates from bases in the United States and Silverstone, England.
The team recently underwent a leadership change during the summer break, with Marcin Budkowski appointed as Team Principal on August 12, 2026. He replaced Graeme Lowdon and will oversee operations starting from the Dutch Grand Prix.
Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss indicated that Lowdon’s departure was a performance-related decision, part of a transition from team construction to performance improvement. The team is focusing on both 2026 car upgrades and the development of their 2027 challenger.
Steiner maintained that if Cadillac were to consider a driver change for the 2027 season, Bottas would be the most obvious candidate. He suggested Bottas might have expected a different outcome from his Formula 1 comeback.
‘I think he has somewhat given up,’ Steiner stated. ‘If they need to change one driver, obviously I think they’re going to change Valtteri. His results are not as good.’
Cadillac is expected to introduce its own power unit from 2029, with Ferrari supplying engines until then. The current focus remains on improving the MAC-26 chassis and overall team performance.
