Valtteri Bottas bids an emotional farewell to Mercedes and starts afresh at Cadillac: an experienced driver is set to get an ambitious project off the ground
Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas bid an emotional farewell to Mercedes after the final race in Abu Dhabi. After his year as a test and reserve driver for the “Silver Arrows,” the Finn wrote on social media: “Thank you, Mercedes. It was great to be back with the family during my gap year.”
Bottas had lost his regular Formula 1 seat at Sauber at the end of 2024 and therefore returned to Mercedes as a reserve driver. Bottas had already competed for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021 – at that time as a regular driver and with great success: in 2019 and 2020, he finished second in the Drivers’ Championship behind his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
This is probably why Bottas wrote: “This team will always have a special place in my heart, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to have been the team’s third driver. I now have even more respect for the team, the sport, and every single member of staff than I did before. I wish you all the best for the future—and see you again soon!”
But then as competitors: Bottas has signed with Formula 1 newcomer Cadillac for 2026 and, together with Sergio Perez, is expected to help make the new team competitive. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff thinks it’s “great that Valtteri is getting his place back in the Formula 1 field” and says: “He still has so much to offer as a racing driver and deserves to be on the grid in 2026.”
Wolff emphasizes that he views Bottas’ departure from Mercedes with mixed feelings: “We are naturally sad to see him go. Valtteri has played an important role in our team, and his contribution as our third driver this year has been exemplary.”
Cadillac is hoping for something similar from Bottas from now on: the Formula 1 returnee completed his first official day of work with his new team immediately after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where he had his seat fitted, among other things . Cadillac aptly wrote on social media: “Here we go!”
