Cadillac: These drivers could replace Valtteri Bottas

Valtteri Bottas’s future at Cadillac remains uncertain – TWG is backing Colton Herta, but Frederik Vesti is also gaining prominence as an alternative

Valtteri Bottas’s future at Cadillac remains uncertain. The Finn himself continues to emphasise that he has a valid contract for the coming season as well. However, the confirmation of Sergio Perez ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix was not accompanied by a corresponding announcement regarding his team-mate.

This is fuelling speculation about the 37-year-old’s future, as his place in the American team is by no means considered secure. The issue appears to go beyond a mere assessment of his performance on the track.

Cadillac is a project involving General Motors and TWG – with differing decision-making structures and interests that need to be reconciled. The choice of the second driver represents one of the first tests of this balance, as there appears to be no unified position.

TWG is pushing for Colton Herta, as it wishes to integrate an American driver into the project, which has made its US identity a central element. In Brazil, Herta completed the necessary steps to obtain the FIA Super Licence, thereby clearing the final formal hurdle to a possible debut.

This is a significant step, particularly given the resources invested to enable Herta to gain experience during the free practice sessions. Cadillac’s position, however, appears to be different.

The arm linked to General Motors would be more interested in ensuring the continuity of the technical project and retaining Bottas for another season. The Finn had taken on the challenge in full awareness of the difficulties a team faces in its debut season.

Why Frederik Vesti is now also in the running

With over ten years’ experience in Formula 1, Bottas is seen as a valuable asset at a stage when the development of the car remains a priority. The real news, however, concerns a third name: Frederik Vesti.

The 24-year-old Dane, who has long been associated with Mercedes and is currently a reserve driver, is a candidate who should be taken seriously. Since 2025, Vesti has been racing in the IMSA for Action Express – a team that fields a Cadillac V-Series.

This experience has enabled him to establish direct contact with General Motors’ motorsport community and make a name for himself amongst those responsible for the American manufacturer’s racing programmes.

Feedback on Vesti’s work has been consistently positive. In particular, the assessments by Eric Warren, Vice President of Motorsport Programmes at General Motors, have bolstered the Dane’s reputation.

He is therefore not simply a candidate who has emerged out of the need to find an alternative to Bottas and Herta, but a driver whom Cadillac has already been able to assess as part of one of its official programmes.

Vesti also brings an interesting profile to a Formula 1 team. As runner-up in the 2023 Formula 2 season, he remains involved with Mercedes, takes part in development activities and has gained experience at the wheel of Formula 1 cars.

The battle for the second seat remains exciting

The IMSA programme has added a further dimension to his preparation: he has had to prove himself in a category where collaboration with engineers, race management and adaptability play a central role.

His potential promotion would represent a different solution to the other two options. Bottas would guarantee experience and continuity; Herta would fulfil TWG’s desire to field an American driver; whilst Vesti would offer Cadillac the opportunity to invest in a young driver who is already known and valued within its own sporting organisation.

Also remaining in the background are the corporate issues surrounding TWG, with rumours circulating about possible transactions in the sporting sector. This is a scenario that further complicates the decision-making process, in which the team’s sporting requirements and the shareholders’ strategies must be reconciled.

Bottas himself remains confident. At Interlagos, he emphasised that decisions regarding his future must be taken by the board. He made it clear that he had received no indication that would alter his contractual position.

The only certainty at present is that Cadillac has not yet made a decision regarding the second driver’s seat. And whilst Herta remains the candidate backed by TWG, Vestis’s position also deserves attention. The Dane can count on key advocates within General Motors and an already established professional relationship with the manufacturer.