Valtteri Bottas is a ten-time Grand Prix winner and former Mercedes works driver who brings championship-calibre experience to Cadillac’s debut Formula 1 season. The Finn’s years alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes gave him intimate knowledge of what it takes to build a winning team from the engineering side up.
For 2026, Bottas joins Sergio Perez at Cadillac to form one of the most experienced driver pairings on the grid. His role extends beyond Sunday results. Bottas will be instrumental in shaping the team’s development culture, engineering processes, and performance benchmarks during their crucial first season. His calm demeanor and precise technical feedback are exactly what a new team needs.
Bottas is one of the finest qualifiers in F1 history when the car beneath him is competitive. His pole positions for Mercedes demonstrated a one-lap pace that rivalled anyone on the grid. If Cadillac can provide a reasonable car, Bottas has the talent to surprise.
Finnish fans operate in the EET timezone (UTC+2), which adds one hour to the CET-based European races. Most European rounds start at 15:00 or 16:00 Finnish time, making for comfortable Sunday afternoon viewing. The season-ending Abu Dhabi race starts at 16:00 EET.