Bottas Says Cadillac Can Still Turn F1 Debut Into Points-Scoring Success
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 7, 2026
Bottas backs his future
Valtteri Bottas says his best Formula 1 years are still ahead of him, and he speaks from a different place now than he did a year ago. He joined Cadillac after spending 2025 away from full-time racing, a fallow stretch that came after he lost his Kick Sauber seat and took on reserve-driver duties for Mercedes. That break left him with a clearer view of the sport and a stronger appetite for it. Bottas said he appreciates life in Formula 1 more now than ever, a reflection that fits a driver in his 13th season and still looking for more.
He delivered that message during Belgian Grand Prix weekend, with the season heading into the August break. The timing mattered. Cadillac had already worked through the opening part of its first Formula 1 campaign, and Bottas was talking about a project that asks for patience now and promises bigger returns later. He did not talk like a driver easing into a farewell lap. He sounded like one convinced there is more left in the tank. Bottas has made 257 Grand Prix starts, won 10 times and stood on the podium 67 times, but he framed the next chapter around what comes next, not what came before.
Cadillac builds through setbacks
Cadillac’s debut season has brought a string of firsts for the U.S. team, with Bottas and Sergio Perez becoming the first drivers to represent the brand in Formula 1. That alone marks the start of a new program. The reaction inside the paddock has been favorable, too. Bottas said many people around the sport have been impressed by what Cadillac has shown in its opening year. That does not change the basics of the results sheet, which has been tough. Cadillac reached the summer break as the only Formula 1 team without a point after the opening 11 rounds.
The numbers tell the story of a team still trying to find its footing. Bottas had five retirements in Cadillac’s early races, and his best finish for the team was 13th place in China. Brake problems forced him to stop at the Hungaroring, a reminder that the car still needs work before the team can think about competing where it wants to compete. Bottas said Cadillac has already improved in pace, reliability and trackside operations, but he also said the car still needs more speed and more reliability. The team has made progress, yet the gap to the points remains open. That is the challenge for a new outfit learning fast in a sport that gives little time to catch up.
Cadillac targets the next step
Bottas has kept Cadillac’s goals simple. He said the immediate target is to reach Q2 in qualifying and then start scoring points. That approach fits a team that is still building itself one step at a time. The target is not a podium stretch or a championship speech. It is a cleaner Saturday, a stronger race and a move onto the scoreboard. Bottas believes that path is still there, even after a difficult start. He said Cadillac can still turn its difficult debut season into a points-scoring one, and he pointed to the progress already made as proof that the project is moving forward.
The larger appeal, though, is the chance to shape something from the ground up. Bottas called Cadillac’s project a rare opportunity to help build a team from scratch, and that is the part he seems to value most. He said helping create future success would make that success more rewarding when it comes. That outlook matches the rest of his message. He is in a new role, with a new team, after a year away from the grid. He sees the work as part of the reward. He also sees room for the story to change. Cadillac’s first season has been hard, but Bottas still talks like a driver who expects the next phase to look better than the first.
