Cadillac’s gamble: Trading Bottas for Herta?

Would Cadillac gain or lose by replacing Bottas with Herta?

That is the million-dollar question hanging over the American team’s first full season in Formula 1.

Valtteri Bottas arrived at Cadillac as a proven grand prix winner with 10 career victories and decades of experience at the top level.

He was brought in alongside Sergio Perez to give the new outfit a stable, veteran driver lineup for its debut campaign.

Perez has already secured his future, signing a multi-year extension that keeps him at the team beyond 2026.

Bottas has received no such confirmation.

His seat is now under threat, and the most frequently mentioned replacement is Colton Herta, Cadillac’s own test driver and a California native.

Herta has been part of Cadillac’s driver program throughout its first season.

He has been working toward securing the FIA Super License points required to race in Formula 1.

As of the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, he needs only one more FP1 appearance to gain the license.

That makes him eligible for a full-time race seat as early as 2027.

The appeal is obvious: an American driver in an American team, racing in a series that is growing rapidly in the U.S. market.

Cadillac’s parent company, General Motors, has made no secret of its ambition to build a homegrown fanbase.

Putting Herta in the car would be a powerful marketing move.

But there are reasons to question whether promoting Herta is the right performance decision.

His 2025 Formula 2 campaign has been disappointing.

He has not consistently challenged for wins or podiums in the feeder series that traditionally prepares drivers for F1.

If Cadillac has decided that Bottas is no longer the driver it needs, the team should ask whether Herta is the best available replacement — not simply the most appealing one.

Other names have emerged as alternatives.

Mercedes reserve driver Fred Vesti, who also drives for Cadillac in IMSA, declared his interest in the seat during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend.

Reports via The Race claim that Yuki Tsunoda is also in the mix to line up alongside Perez next season.

Bottas, however, remains very much in contention, according to Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Global, the company that owns Cadillac’s F1 outfit.

“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.”

Towriss’s words are reassuring, but actions tell a different story.

Bottas has not been given the same contract security as Perez.

Meanwhile, Herta’s repeated FP1 outings suggest the team is actively preparing a succession plan.

The uncertainty over Cadillac’s driver lineup comes amid wider questions about the team’s future.

Mark Walter, who controls the operation through TWG Global, is reportedly exploring a sale of his stake.

Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group is among those that have held discussions about a potential investment.

The team is said to be valued at around $3 billion.

No deal has been agreed, and TWG has denied that a sale is imminent.

But the financial backdrop adds another layer of intrigue to a project still finding its feet.

Bottas himself has spoken about the situation.

He called the uncertainty “a shame” and said he expects clarity “very soon.”

On track, his recent performances have not helped his case.

He has been miles behind his Cadillac teammate in the last few races.

A frightening crash in Mexico City — caused by a front-left suspension failure under braking at over 200 mph — only added to the pressure.

Cadillac team principal Marcin Budkowski confirmed the team has implemented a fix to avoid a repeat of that failure.

But the crash, which left Bottas visibly shaken, was the second suspension failure for Cadillac in its maiden campaign.

The previous one came at the Canadian Grand Prix, when Perez’s front-right corner failed as he entered the pit lane.

Budkowski said: “We are coming off our most competitive race of the season in Mexico City, where our pace relative to our direct competitors showed encouraging progress.