VALTTERI
BOTTAS
car 77

Ten time race winner. Bottas teams up with Perez at Cadillac for the new American constructor's debut season.

Titles: 0
Race wins: 10
Podiums: 67
Poles: 20

THE RETURN

Ten wins, and unfinished business.

By the iGR Paddock desk · Reviewed 03/06/2026 · Data via Formula 1, jolpica-f1 and OpenF1

Valtteri Bottas spent a year on the sidelines. He never planned to stay there.

The Finn is far more than a number two. He won ten Grands Prix and took 20 pole positions across five seasons at Mercedes, often pushing Lewis Hamilton hard. He then moved to Sauber for a fresh challenge, before losing his race seat and spending 2025 as a Mercedes reserve, waiting for the right door to open.

Cadillac opened it. The new American team picked Bottas for his speed, his experience, and his skill at developing a car, exactly what a debut team needs. He returns to the grid in 2026 with a point to prove and a fresh project to build from the ground up, alongside fellow veteran Sergio Perez. Off track, his dry humour and his charity calendar made him one of the most-liked figures in the paddock.

For the fans

Bottas is a fan favourite for his dry humour and his pure pace. Watching a proven race winner help launch a brand-new team is a great reason to follow Cadillac.

Punter's angle

A new team almost always starts at the back, so forget win and podium bets. Bottas' value is in head-to-head markets against Perez and in reliability props. His car-development skill could see Cadillac improve through the year, worth watching for late-season head-to-heads.

02 / 04 // FACTS

The file.

Born: 28/08/1989Monte Carlo, MC
Nationality: Finland
Career starts: 246
Fastest laps: 19

03 / 04 // TEAM

In the car.

Cadillac Formula 1 TeamFerrari · founded 2026 · Charlotte, NC

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BIOGRAPHY

In their own words.

Valtteri Viktor Bottas (Finnish pronunciation: ; born 28 August 1989) is a Finnish racing driver who is contracted to compete in Formula One for Cadillac. Bottas has twice finished runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship in 2019 and 2020 with Mercedes, and has won 10 Grands Prix across 12 seasons. Born and raised in Nastola, Bottas began kart racing aged six. After studying automotive engineering and completing mandatory military service, Bottas progressed to junior formulae in 2007. He won his first championship at the Formula Renault NEC in 2008, also winning the Formula Renault Eurocup by three points to Daniel Ricciardo, both with Motopark. He then won the Masters of Formula 3 back-to-back in 2009 and 2010 with ART, before winning the GP3 Series in 2011. After two years as a test driver, Bottas signed for Williams in 2013 to partner Pastor Maldonado, making his Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix. In 2014, he finished fourth in the championship, taking his maiden career podium at the Austrian Grand Prix. Across four seasons at Williams, Bottas finished on the podium nine times. Bottas signed for Mercedes in 2017, replacing the retiring Nico Rosberg to partner Lewis Hamilton. He took his maiden pole position in Bahrain and his maiden win in Russia, finishing third in the championship following further victories in Austria and Abu Dhabi. After a winless 2018 campaign, Bottas finished runner-up to Hamilton in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He took his final win for Mercedes at the Turkish Grand Prix in 2021, leaving at the end of the season after contributing to five consecutive World Constructors' Championships. He joined Alfa Romeo in 2022, retaining his seat for his 2023 campaign. After a non-scoring 2024 season at the re-branded Sauber, Bottas returned to Mercedes as a reserve driver. Bottas has achieved 10 race wins, 20 pole positions, 19 fastest laps and 67 podiums in Formula One. He holds the Formula One record for the most career points without a World Drivers' Championship (1,797).

CAREER

Career trail.

// Honours and titles