Bottas suggests he might remain with Mercedes in 2026.
"I was meant to do it two weeks ago."
Valtteri Bottas has strongly suggested that he could be remaining with Mercedes in 2026. The 35-year-old Finnish driver lost his Sauber position at the end of last year and returned to Mercedes as a full-time reserve driver in 2025. Bottas, who achieved 10 grand prix victories while being Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes, had been rumored to be a candidate for the new eleventh F1 team, Cadillac, for 2026. However, he now indicates that he is set to enter the Mercedes simulator at Brackley next week to specifically prepare for the 2026 season, which will feature completely new and significantly different power unit and chassis regulations. If Bottas is indeed still in the running for a seat with Cadillac, it seems unlikely that Mercedes would permit him to gain early insight into the team's plans for 2026, especially since they are anticipated to excel with their power unit. "I was meant to do it two weeks ago," Bottas stated to Soy Motor in Barcelona, "but the simulator wasn’t functional. I have a simulator day next week," he disclosed. "It will likely be my first opportunity to work on 2026 and comprehend the differences compared to 2025."
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