Cadillac head rejects 'totally untrue' claims about Bottas leaving.

      Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon has firmly rejected rumors that Valtteri Bottas might lose his position before the season concludes. Speculation increased following reports that the Finnish driver’s future was uncertain due to a challenging start to the year, along with suggestions that reserve driver Colton Herta could take his place—possibly even soon. However, Lowdon insists these rumors are completely unfounded.

      "There is absolutely no basis, no truth whatsoever in these rumors," he declared. "I can state that categorically." He added, "I want to be very, very clear—these claims are factually incorrect. None of them hold even an ounce of truth."

      These remarks followed reports that also associated teammate Sergio Perez with potential moves to other teams, despite Cadillac being only a few races into its inaugural Formula 1 season. Lowdon pointed out that outside observers often do not recognize the unique challenges Cadillac faces.

      "If we examine the efforts both drivers are making, they are undertaking much more than drivers on some other teams," he explained. "This is because we’re building the team while simultaneously racing, a very unusual situation."

      "With all due respect, the external world is unaware of what we’re asking from these drivers from session to session and race weekend to race weekend, as well as what we expect from them in terms of car development."

      Lowdon also dismissed claims that Herta could be brought in right away. "Some rumors I’ve come across disregard some of Formula 1’s most basic regulations," he remarked. "Some suggest we would replace Valtteri with Colton in the upcoming races, even though Colton does not have sufficient super licence points. That alone speaks volumes about the credibility of some of these rumors."

      The Briton emphasized that Bottas, Perez, and Herta all play significant roles in Cadillac’s broader program. "Colton has a project he is working on. Checo has a project here that he is focusing on, and so does Valtteri," stated Lowdon. "They all contribute in their unique ways to our goals in building the team.

      "It is crucial to clarify that there is absolutely no truth or evidence to any rumors suggesting that either Valtteri’s position is at risk or that Checo might indeed move to another team."

      Meanwhile, Perez has been linked to potential opportunities elsewhere but maintains his focus on Cadillac’s long-term vision. "I’m very pleased with my performance and my driving level," the Mexican driver said. "I’m glad to be back and to have proven to myself that I’m among the best."

      However, Perez acknowledged that Cadillac still has significant operational improvements to make. "At this moment, I’m frustrated with the operational aspect," he noted. "I believe it’s an area we must enhance, and we’re in a hurry because we’re not maximizing our results. I think we are making progress in terms of performance, which is promising, but operationally we are falling considerably short, and we really need to establish our direction as we approach the European season."