Bottas claims he has had the worst of Cadillac's problems after Mexico suspension failure

The comments were reported after Bottas's Mexico City Grand Prix ended in the barriers. The front-left suspension on his Cadillac failed as he braked for Turn 1, and the car spun backwards into the wall. The race was red-flagged so the barriers could be repaired. Bottas got out of the car on his own, and Cadillac later said he had been released after a precautionary medical check.

Bottas argued that Cadillac's reliability and operational setbacks have done real damage to his season. For a driver whose seat is being openly assessed, it is a pointed claim. He is effectively saying that his results do not tell the whole story.

Budkowski did not argue with him. "As a new team, we have to accept that we have not been able to give the drivers the best equipment in every practice and race," the Cadillac boss admitted. The team also excused Bottas from his post-race media duties in Mexico and has started a detailed investigation into the failure.

Bottas still expects to be on the grid next year. "I think it would make sense. That's what it says on paper, and that's why I'm quite confident," he said in Mexico. He admitted that, unlike his teammate, he has not signed anything new: "Checo signed an extension, I haven't signed another extension yet."

In his view, the delay is down to how the company works. "But in a big company there are always board meetings where final decisions are made, and I believe they will be soon," Bottas said. Budkowski sounded far less urgent. "We are not in any particular hurry regarding the second place," he said. Asked whether Cadillac was happy with the Finn, he replied: "Overall, yes."

Sergio Perez's seat is already settled, with the Mexican being offered a new deal after beating Bottas for much of this season. Meanwhile, speculation has grown that reserve driver Colton Herta could be promoted.

Speaking to L'Equipe, Budkowski held up Austin as the standard he wants from Bottas. "He was strong in qualifying and he was strong in the race as well, and that's what he needs to do, race in, race out," he said. He also made no secret of Herta's appeal: "It would be great to have an American driver, it increases the hype." Cadillac now has to find out what went wrong in Mexico before the team travels to Sao Paulo.