INTERVIEW: Valtteri Bottas’ fresh start with Cadillac and learnings from a year away

Although Bottas is itching to get back behind the wheel, no one is expecting Cadillac to hit the ground running with its maiden car aligned to one of the biggest regulation changes in Formula 1 history, and all within a year after its entry was confirmed on 7^th March.

That is not to say those associated with the project waited until that exact moment to get things up and running. In the background, the team commenced an intense recruitment drive, to such an extent that even by the time it was given the green light, there were around 250 people on board. It knew it could not afford to hang around and wait for F1's blessing.

Once given, however, that was at least the moment it could proactively pursue its driver line-up. Even then, team principal Graeme Lowdon had already sounded out Bottas about the possibility of signing with the American team, an opportunity he eventually opted for in his desire to rejoin the grid.

The ten-time Grand Prix winner insists what lies ahead is "exciting", even though, regardless of the considerable resources behind the team, it is effectively a start-up working flat out to be present at the first of the three pre-season tests in late January, with Barcelona initially hosting before track action switches to Bahrain for the other two.  

"What gives me confidence is that for now, everything still seems to be on plan, on schedule," said Bottas, in an interview with this writer. "There have been no big hiccups”.

"But it's going to be hard, starting everything from nothing. There's a lot of managing expectations, especially for the first season, and, in particular, the first quarter. We need to be realistic. It is going to take time, but I'm prepared for that."

Bottas ignominiously bowed out of F1 with his first point-less season in 2024. There is every possibility his first season back could yield the same result.

Asked whether he was equally as prepared for the pain that is going to come in year one, he replied: "I'm prepared. I can't have super expectations to start with. It's better to lower the expectations first.

“It's more about figuring out where we are, and then the most important thing is where we end up, and how quickly."

Unlike new team-mate Pérez, Bottas has ensured that over the past ten months he has remained in the F1 loop with his role at Mercedes, and via the odd Pirelli tyre test and TPC (testing of previous cars) day, he has kept his hand in on track.

The 36-year-old concedes this past year being back with Mercedes, a team where he spent five seasons, and was twice a runner-up in the Drivers' Championship, as well as helping it maintain its Constructors' Championship dominance over that period, has been "a good thing".

Bottas has learned a considerable amount, "seeing this sport from a different angle," he said, which he feels could stand him in good stead when he joins Cadillac. "When you're racing, you only have one point of contact — your engineer — and that's all you know."

"But with each session, each event, I've been hearing everything that goes on, through all the channels, seeing in much more detail how the team operates, the track operations, the different departments. I have much more knowledge than I ever had before.

"As a racing driver, you work with a handful of people throughout the weekend, and you're trying to simplify and prioritise certain things.

"Now, with more time, I've seen how it all works, which can really help me in joining a team that is building everything from scratch. There might be times, and I'm pretty sure, I'll think, 'That's how Mercedes did it, maybe this could work for us'. It could help."

But he has missed the racing, appreciably so given he competed in 246 Grands Prix over his 12 consecutive seasons in F1, missing only one race when he failed to start the 2015 Australian Grand Prix with Williams due to a back injury.

"I knew it would be hard watching the racing, especially once you've done it for 12 years in a row because you kind of get used to it," Bottas shared.

"At the same time, it's really made me respect the sport, respect the drivers, and everyone in the team even more. It's given me a different perspective on the sport, which can also help me in the future.

"So I definitely feel that next year, I'm way more lucky and proud to be on the grid than I probably would have been without a year of non-racing."

One downside for Bottas is that whilst Pérez, who integrated himself into the team as soon as the duo were confirmed at the end of August, the Finn has continued his reserve duties with Mercedes, and will do so for the final three Grands Prix of the year in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. He will have to wait until after to properly join Cadillac.

Bottas concedes that if he could have done, he “would probably have done a lot more stuff with the team, because there is a lot to prepare”.

He is, at least, being kept in the loop, and certain outings have played their part, such as after the recent Mexico City Grand Prix when he conducted a tyre test for Pirelli.

"I would say, when it comes to the key meetings and key information, we've had those conversations," he said. "I'm involved, not as much as Checo because I can't. I'm here [at Mercedes]. It is what it is."

Bottas accepts that having a foot in both camps is "a unique situation", adding: "It's fun. Of course, the priorities are here. Mercedes is still my employer, and I've got to be ready for each weekend, just in case.

"But when I have free time, then of course, I'm using it wisely, working for the future."

Bottas at least feels physically ready for the challenge, and despite not being at the sharp end of the action on track this year, he will not find it too arduous when he steps back into the cockpit in anger.

"So far, the days I've had in the car, I've always felt good, like normal," he said. "It does take some laps to get used to the speed and everything, but then always, by the end of any run I've done, I've felt just like I did at the end of last season.

"I would have loved to have had more time in the car on track, but I've had some. I think it's enough. I'm not worried about that side of things."

And then there is working with Pérez, who departed Red Bull at the end of last year after four seasons with the team, under a cloud after scoring a wretched 49 points from the final 18 Grands Prix that cost the team its grip on the Constructors' Championship.

Pérez's 14 seasons in F1 cannot be overlooked, and, like Bottas, his experience will prove invaluable in attempting to get Cadillac up to speed as swiftly as possible.

Bottas has no qualms that the aims and ambitions of he and Pérez will be aligned once the team goes racing. There will be no time or room for egos.

"He seems like an easy guy to work with," Bottas revealed. "He's very calm and equally as excited to get back in. As a pair, we make sense because I think we can really work together for the team, put the team first, instead of focusing on each other."

Main image photography by Tom Baigent.