Valtteri Bottas has directly addressed recent speculation regarding an early departure from the Cadillac Formula 1 team. The Finnish driver dismissed the rumours as ‘bullshit’, attributing their circulation to a pursuit of ‘headlines and clicks’ within the sport.
Cadillac, backed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports, officially joined the Formula 1 grid as the 11th team for the 2026 season. Their entry received final approval in March 2025, with the team making its debut at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix.
Bottas and Sergio Perez were confirmed as Cadillac’s driver lineup for the 2026 season and beyond in August 2025. Both drivers signed multi-year contracts, with Bottas’s deal reportedly extending until at least the end of the 2027 season.
Speculation about Bottas’s future intensified following a challenging start to the 2026 campaign. Reports suggested he was at risk of losing his seat, particularly after the Canadian Grand Prix, where he trailed teammate Perez significantly.
Bottas has been out-qualified by Perez in the majority of sessions this season, with a 3-6 deficit in Grand Prix qualifying and 1-3 in Sprint qualifying as of July 21, 2026.
The 10-time Grand Prix winner acknowledged performance issues, stating that the team identified problems on both the Ferrari power unit side and the car build. Cadillac currently utilises Ferrari engines.
Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon publicly refuted the rumours, stating there was ‘no foundation of truth in any of the rumours at all’. He described the speculation as ‘completely incorrect’.
The team also clarified that reserve driver Colton Herta, who was mentioned as a potential replacement, does not possess the necessary FIA Super Licence to compete in Formula 1.
Bottas maintains that he is fully aware of his contractual situation and has the complete backing of the team. He stated that such media speculation is a common aspect of the sport.
