Valtteri Bottas, the Finnish racing veteran with ten Grand Prix victories, has sent ripples through the Formula 1 community with recent comments regarding his potential return to the grid in 2026. After losing his Sauber seat at the end of the 2024 season, Bottas has taken up a reserve driver role with Mercedes for 2025, but his sights are firmly set on a full-time career. In a candid interview on the Beyond the Grid Podcast, Bottas addressed speculation surrounding his future, rejecting a move to Red Bull while simultaneously expressing enthusiasm for Cadillac’s upcoming F1 entry, where he could potentially partner Sergio Perez. The revelation has sparked excitement and debate among fans, with the 2026 season promising a new team and a major overhaul to regulations.

Bottas, now 35, has made it clear that he is not ready to step away from Formula 1. His 12 years of experience, including five consecutive constructors’ championships with Mercedes from 2017 to 2021, make him a valuable asset to any team. However, his chances with Red Bull appear slim. Despite previous discussions with the team, Bottas has revealed that “certain individuals” within Red Bull, widely speculated to be senior advisor Helmut Marko, are not fans of his, effectively closing the door on a potential move to partner Max Verstappen. Red Bull’s preference for younger drivers from their academy, such as Isack Hadjar, and their recent struggles with drivers such as Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda in the second seat, further threaten Bottas’s prospects with the team. Instead, Bottas has turned his attention to Cadillac, the American manufacturer that was set to join F1 in 2026 as its 11th team.

The Cadillac entry, backed by General Motors and led by former Marussia boss Graeme Lowdon, presents a new opportunity for Bottas. The team is expected to combine experience with youth, potentially pairing an established driver such as Bottas or Perez with a rookie, such as Indycar’s Colton Herta or F2’s Jak Crawford. Bottas sees the project as “very interesting” and highlights the appeal of joining a new team from scratch. “If I was there as a driver, it would actually be quite interesting because you can start from scratch and have a big impact on certain things,” he said on the podcast. The 2026 regulation changes, which will introduce new cars and power units, add to the allure, with Bottas believing a new team could take advantage of the reset to achieve early success. His familiarity with Lowdon, who managed his former Sauber teammate Zhou Guanyu, could also boost his chances.

Sergio Perez, another experienced driver without a 2025 seat after parting ways with Red Bull, has also been strongly linked to Cadillac. The Mexican, with six Grand Prix wins, has been approved by Cadillac advisor Mario Andretti, and sources suggest he is a top candidate for the team. A Bottas-Perez line-up would give Cadillac significant experience, technical expertise and stability as the team navigates its debut season with Ferrari-supplied engines. Competition for the seats is fierce, however, with Zhou Guanyu and Mick Schumacher also in contention. Bottas remains pragmatic, noting that Cadillac are “not in a huge rush” to finalise their line-up, but is targeting August 2025 for clarity over his future.

In addition to Cadillac, Bottas has explored other options, including Alpine, who will use Mercedes Power units in 2026. Discussions with Alpine have occurred, but their driver situation remains fluid, with Pierre Gasly’s contract nearing the end and recent changes involving Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto. Bottas’ experience could be a stabilizing force for Alpine, though he acknowledges the role of politics and financial backing in securing a seat. Unlike some drivers, he can’t offer “tens of millions”, but he has personal sponsors who could join him. If F1 doesn’t pan out, Bottas hasn’t ruled out IndyCar, where drivers such as Romain Grosjean have thrived, but his priority remains Formula 1.

Bottas’ current role at Mercedes keeps him in the F1 paddock, mentoring rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli and earning praise from team principal Toto Wolff. Yet watching races from the sidelines has only fueled his desire to return. “I’m not done with F1 yet,” he insisted, reflecting on a strong performance in his final Sauber season. As Cadillac prepares to shake up the grid, Bottas’ experience and determination make him a compelling candidate, potentially alongside Perez, in what could be one of F1’s most intriguing driver lineups for 2026.