Cadillac’s entry into Formula 1 next year caught the attention of Valtteri Bottas.
He admits that the experienced driver is not on the grid this year, contrary to his own wishes.
However, the arrival of the 11th team, Cadillac, will create two more race seats in 2026, allowing candidates to take the position.
Cadillac was uncommitted about who would choose, but he shares the idea of having an experienced driver along with Americans who match the US-based brand.
“They don’t think it’s a big deal,” Botas said beyond the grid podcast.
“They were very busy trying to get their cars on the grid next year.
“When I want to know about next year and when I know what plans I need to make, I know my timeline.
“I think August is a pretty good target for that, more or less. But hopefully, we’ll hear something sooner.
“I think there are a few drivers on the list. I’m currently racing on three different teams, so I think my experience will be useful.
“I hope I’m in a good position as Williams has also had some great results (we);
“I’m actually looking at a very interesting project, something new for Formula 1. It’s probably an American team that looks different from sports. If you’re there as a driver, it’s actually very interesting.
“Teams start from scratch, and they can actually have a big impact on certain things.
“When success comes, it is very motivated and rewarding.
“Changing the rules is a good point to jump straight in because you never know. If you suddenly get it right, you might actually be really good from the start.”
Valtteri Bottas: “I don’t feel any deterioration in myself.”
Valtteri Bottas
Bottas spent 12 years as a Formula 1 driver, finishing as runner-up in the 2019 Driver Championship, 2020 after his then Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
However, the last two seasons were particularly tough. Last year, Botas was driving an uncompetitive Sauber machine that made him unable to score points throughout the season.
Sauber chose to remove both Bottas and Guanyu Sillas.
Bottas is a former Team Mercedes test and reserve driver and is a McLaren driver this year.
“I’m sitting here without a race seat now, not for my choice,” Botas said.
“I definitely still feel that. That feeling has gotten faster after I realized I couldn’t get a seat this year. I’m not finished in Formula 1 yet.
“I still have to give more. It’s still the no. 1 thing in my life.
“The feeling is getting stronger, stronger, stronger now that I’ve seen it. Now I’m really starting to miss the race.
“It feels like the last two years in my career have been for me, and that’s definitely not the way I want to finish things.
“At the end of last year, I felt like I was doing the best performance I’ve ever had.
“I haven’t felt any deterioration in myself yet! So I just want to continue. We have human, deg, but we don’t have it yet!”