Bottas speaks out as Cadillac seat hangs in the balance

Valtteri Bottas spent a full year on the sidelines before Cadillac gave him a Formula 1 return in 2026.

Less than one season later, that seat is under serious threat.

The Finn has now spoken publicly about the uncertainty surrounding his future with the American team.

“It’s never nice, you know?”

Bottas told The Athletic ahead of this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

“It’s just extra distraction. But of course, over the years, I’ve learned to deal with it.”

Bottas joined Cadillac with hopes of a long-term stay, helping to build the project from the ground up as the team aims to fight its way up the grid.

But while teammate Sergio Perez was rewarded with a contract extension through 2029, Bottas remains in limbo.

The contrast is stark.

Perez has been faster in qualifying and has finished well ahead in races.

Bottas has also suffered a string of mechanical issues — including a terrifying crash in Mexico City after a suspension failure at over 200mph.

Cadillac has since confirmed the failure and implemented a fix.

Still, the results gap has opened the door for other names to emerge as potential replacements for 2027.

Colton Herta, the American test driver for Cadillac, is set to gain his FIA Super License with another FP1 appearance at Interlagos this weekend.

Mercedes reserve driver Fred Vesti, who also drives for Cadillac in IMSA, has declared his interest in the seat.

According to reports via The Race, Yuki Tsunoda is also in the mix to line up alongside Perez next season.

Bottas, however, is not backing down.

“At the moment, nothing has changed,” he said.

“The team still seems to be happy with what I’m doing. I know what the target is, it’s long-term. I know what my terms are in the paper.”

He called the speculation “just noise.”

But he also acknowledged the uncomfortable reality of the sport.

“It doesn’t help anything. So it’s a bit of a shame in a way. But it’s just how this sport works. The sport is getting more popular than it’s ever been, and everyone wants to be in Formula 1.”

“Everyone wants to find a way to get into Formula 1, one way or another.”

Cadillac’s decision is complicated by the fact that there is no obvious upgrade on Bottas among the candidates, according to sources.

That has contributed to a delay while Perez’s contract was already locked in.

Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss, who runs TWG Global — the company that owns the F1 outfit — is not rushing.

“Absolutely [he can keep his seat],” Towriss told Racer.

“We absolutely love Valtteri, and he’s done everything we’ve asked of him.”

“And I’m really even seeing him kind of step up and rise to the challenge. I like to see, as we’re learning drivers, what is he like under pressure? And so, as we’re even talking about this, this obviously puts more pressure on the driver.”

“Watching Valtteri respond to it, he’s an absolute pro. I mean, he’s just, he’s getting after it, and so I want to see what he does … I mean, he’s a champ. He’s going to fight, fight, fight, and so [we] love everything that he does as well.”

“And so we’re not in a hurry to make any decision here. We’re just going to focus on racing.”

Team principal Marcin Budkowski has also been cautious.