Valtteri Bottas says he’ll take a contemporary perspective into 2026 when he returns as a Method 1 driver with Cadillac, following a yr on the sidelines as Mercedes reserve.
Sauber opted to signal Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto to guide the crew into the Audi period, signing each to two-year contracts that run by means of 2026 and leaving Bottas with no seat for the present season. The Finn returned to Mercedes to assist George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, however subsequent yr he will likely be again on the grid with Cadillac and believes the yr out has given him a greater understanding of his function as a driver.
“Total now once I take a look at it, it is really been a superb yr,” Bottas advised RACER. “I’ve managed to safe my spot once more as a race driver in Method 1. And I had a yr of studying issues, being a bit on the opposite facet of the crew.
“Whenever you’re a driver, you are form of in your personal bubble with a restricted quantity of individuals that you just work with instantly. And particularly whenever you’re out on monitor, you solely actually have one individual that you just talk with. However now, being within the storage for all of the periods, listening to all of the comms which are happening in numerous conditions, I feel I’ve really realized fairly a number of issues about teamwork and the way issues really work whereas the automobile is on monitor.
“It has opened up my eyes a bit. I feel this expertise will assist me sooner or later, realizing a bit extra about how a crew must function and what must be the requirements in numerous issues.
“But additionally, I feel it has been a superb yr as a result of it has made me respect the game rather more. To be a Method 1 driver, one of many 20 – or subsequent yr, 22 – may be very distinctive. And I am going to undoubtedly have a distinct method to the game in that sense.”
Whereas the Finn was eager to return to the grid in 2026, he insists he didn’t discover many different choices outdoors of the Cadillac alternative, given how engaging the brand new crew’s undertaking is.
“I set Cadillac as a precedence fairly early on this yr,” he mentioned. “In order that was actually the principle focus. In order that’s why every other discussions did not go too deep.
“For me, it was clear what I need. And ultimately, when that occurred, it made me clearly very, very comfortable and every little thing form of labored out as deliberate.
“I did be taught from final yr that it is best to by no means get too assured. So I knew that I should not get too excited, despite the fact that there was numerous constructive indicators and phrases and suggestions from the bosses. However I knew that till it is finished, simply hold calm and do your factor. So, I undoubtedly realized rather a lot concerning the politics of F1 final yr.
“It felt nice [to sign], in fact. And virtually like signing my first ever F1 contract, feeling-wise, it is actually cool.
“That day, announcement day in New York simply made me notice, once more, that I’ll be a Method 1 driver, which I respect rather more now than what I did some years in the past.”
