Valtteri Bottas begins new chapter with Cadillac seat fit after Mercedes farewell
Valtteri Bottas has officially begun his duties with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, completing his seat fit immediately after the 2025 season finale. The Finn, alongside teammate Sergio Perez, forms one of the grid's most experienced line-ups for the new manufacturer's 2026 debut.
Valtteri Bottas has wasted no time beginning his next Formula 1 chapter, completing his first seat fit with the Cadillac team just after his emotional farewell to Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Finn is now fully integrated into the new project, which will make its highly anticipated grid debut in 2026 with Bottas and the experienced Sergio Perez at the wheel.
Why it matters:
The official start of Bottas's on-site work marks a critical transition from planning to execution for the Cadillac team. Securing a driver with ten Grand Prix wins and extensive experience with a top team like Mercedes provides invaluable insight and stability for a new constructor entering the complex world of Formula 1, where driver feedback in the early development phase is crucial.
The Details:
- Bottas traveled directly from the Abu Dhabi season finale to the team's Silverstone base to complete the seat fitting process, a fundamental step in ensuring driver comfort, safety, and optimal positioning within the cockpit.
- Cadillac recently announced a high-profile launch strategy, planning to reveal its first F1 car during a Super Bowl advertising slot, leveraging one of the world's largest sporting audiences.
- The team's driver pairing for 2026 combines Bottas's technical expertise from the Mercedes era with Perez's vast race experience and recent knowledge from testing with current front-running teams.
- Team Principal Graeme Lowdon emphasized the significance of integrating Bottas, highlighting the collective talent within the new organization and the importance of these foundational preparation steps.
What's next:
The Cadillac team's first on-track appearance is scheduled for the private pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in late January 2026. All development work now intensifies toward that milestone, with Bottas's initial feedback from the seat fit and subsequent simulator sessions playing a key role in refining the team's debut challenger.