Mika Salo: Bottas has an advantage over Pérez

      Mika Salo, along with the entire Finnish motorsport community, is delighted that Valtteri Bottas is returning to the World Championship as part of Cadillac F1. At the same time, the former driver is realistic and warned that one should not expect any spectacular results from the new American team yet.

      "To be honest, I don't expect much from the new team," Mika told Ilta-Sanomat. "It isn't strong enough to contend for wins, but from time to time in certain situations it will be able to achieve decent results.

      Valtteri is in a favorable position in the sense that in 2025 he worked with Mercedes as a reserve and test driver, and he had the opportunity to work behind the wheel of a race car. He is aware of how preparation for the new season went — unlike Sergio Pérez, who spent almost the entire year on a beach in Acapulco.

      I think Bottas has something of an advantage, and that will be an important factor for Cadillac. In principle you can't say that this team is staffed by new people — the group is made up of specialists with Formula 1 experience. Now they just need to learn to work together properly. And Valtteri is a superb team player, and that is one of his virtues."

      Toni Vilander, another well-known Finnish driver who has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GT category behind the wheel of Ferrari sports cars, agrees with his colleague.

      "Once this 'treat' was taken away from Valtteri, and now he has got it back. And he understands what he lost at the time," Vilander continued, now head of Finland's national motorsport federation AKK. "It seems to me that now, with his career resumed, his work gives him even more pleasure.

      It's possible that Cadillac will have a rather decent car that will allow them to compete with other teams. But it could also be that they will be two seconds slower than the rest. In addition, there may be some mistakes during the season, but even in such circumstances Valtteri's vast experience will be very useful."

      Bottas and Pérez will sit behind the wheel of the Cadillac F1 car for the first time at private tests in Barcelona, and the official presentation will take place on February 8 as part of the Super Bowl — the finale of the American NFL football championship. However, this will primarily be a show, during which the team will present only the car's official livery.