Bottas prepares for new challenges with Cadillac ahead of 2026 season

10:00, 14 Jan

byDrew Murphy

Valtteri Bottas is preparing to begin a new season with his fourth different Formula 1 team.

The Fin began his F1 journey at Williams, before racing for Mercedes, then to Alfa Romeo, who became Stake F1 until 2025, when he found himself a third driver for Mercedes.

Now Bottas is racing for American giant Cadillac alongside six-time Grand Prix winner Sergio Perez.

His new team is not the only thing Bottas will need to get used to; the arrival of all-new regulations means he has a lot of challenges to face in his return to the grid.

valtteri-bottas-and-sergio-perez-announced-as-cadillac-drivers.jpg

Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez - Photo: Cadillac

Speaking to Jolyon Palmer and Juan Pablo Montoya on Formula1.com, Bottas said: “I’m excited because it's a big change, a new set of regulations, a new set of power units and a completely new team.

“Almost everyone in the team I haven't worked with before, so there is so much to adapt to.

“Of course, you've got to be lenient in certain things; you want to be able to make sure that the decisions you make are as a team.

“But that is why Cadillac hired two experienced drivers because they need that feedback from what me and Checo have experienced in the previous teams, especially when the teams are doing good.

“The list is long for things to get used to.”

Formula 1's biggest change?

Bottas was asked how the new set of regulations differs from previous eras he has experienced over his long career.

He said: “I think this change, that is happening, is to become the biggest, based on the simulator work.

Cadillac livery for the test in Barcelona - Photo: Cadillac

“You know you've got less load, smaller tyres, sliding a bit more, but you have so much more torque out of the corners, and then also how to manage the PU is again what every driver and team will need to learn."

Bottas added that he meets his race and performance engineers ahead of his next chapter.

“I do know my race engineer, I do know my performance engineer, I’ve met them and we’ve been catching up regularly.

"It’s important to build that relationship, but again so many new faces, new names to learn and also to figure out how you can make the most out of that core team. Which is a lot of work, but it is exciting."

A complete unknown

The new set of regulations means that teams are heading into the 2026 season without any idea how their car compares to the rest.

Bottas added: “You just don't know, it's all speculation, it's all rough numbers, we don't know the actual power units because I feel like there is going to be more differences between the power units next year, too many unknowns.

Photo: RacePictures

“Of course, in the preseason testing, we’ll get some kind of idea but again, it's not always the final car of each team that they start with at the first race.

“Many variables, many guesses so no idea.”

One change for the 2026 season is that the drag reduction system (DRS) will no longer be used.

Bottas though was quick to point out that there are plenty of aids to help drivers overtake instead.

He said: “On the PU side, there is the overtake, there is the boost, and then there is the recharge, so there are still going to be many things to do for the driver.

“To be fair for the new team joining the sport, it is the right call to be a customer in terms of power units, so you can focus on the chassis itself and the systems, instead of all the PU stuff which would be too much at this point."

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