Bottas Faces Major Adjustments with Cadillac for 2026 F1 Season

Valtteri Bottas is gearing up for a massive reset in his Formula 1 career, joining the incoming Cadillac team for the 2026 season. The Finnish driver faces a dual challenge of adapting to a brand-new environment alongside Sergio Perez while navigating the sport's most significant regulatory overhaul in years.

Why it matters:

Cadillac's entry marks a major expansion for F1, and Bottas's veteran experience is vital for the American outfit to hit the ground running. With new regulations potentially reshuffling the competitive order, his ability to translate feedback from previous top teams into a new project could determine Cadillac's immediate competitiveness in a crowded grid.

The details:

• A New Era: Bottas describes the 2026 changes as the biggest of his career based on simulator work. The cars will feature less downforce, smaller tires, and more sliding, but significantly higher torque exiting corners.
• Driver Input: Cadillac hired two experienced drivers specifically for their feedback. Bottas emphasizes the need to build relationships with new race and performance engineers to maximize the car's development.
• Power Unit Dynamics: While DRS is being removed, overtaking will rely on complex power unit management, including overtake and boost modes.
• The Unknown: Teams are entering the season with rough estimates rather than concrete data regarding performance. Bottas notes that power unit differences could be more pronounced this year, adding another layer of uncertainty.

Looking ahead:

As a customer team using a supplied power unit, Cadillac can focus its resources on chassis development. Bottas remains optimistic despite the steep learning curve, viewing the massive list of adjustments as an exciting opportunity to shape a new team's identity from the ground up.