Bottas: A proud moment as Cadillac era begins

The Finn visited Silverstone for an initial seat fit and integration work with the new outfit, which is building towards its first campaign on the grid.

Bottas said: "I'm excited to be starting as a Cadillac Formula 1 Team driver finally. This is a proud moment in my career as it marks the beginning of a new chapter back on the grid with a team that's starting its journey in the sport. There's a lot of hard work that lies ahead, so I'm keen to use my experience to help the team now that I'm fully on board."

He added that witnessing the early construction of Cadillac's F1 structure had reinforced the momentum behind the project. "Seeing everything coming together for the first time as a brand new team is special and makes you realize the momentum of the project. It's important to get the preparation right as these moments really are the first steps to getting us ready for the first test. I can't wait to get the season started and go racing once again."

Sporting director Graeme Lowdon emphasised the significance of getting Bottas operational inside the organisation at this early stage. Lowdon said: "It's great to finally have Valtteri onboard and integrated with the team. We've been planning for quite some time now, so it's fantastic to see these moments happening ahead of our first season on track. I'm proud of all the work everybody is doing in the team. Formula 1 is the greatest team game in the world and it's times like this where you see the skills, talent and expertise we have, and how well such a talent like Valtteri will be at home."

With Bottas now fitted, integrated and ready to begin simulator and development work, Cadillac shifts its focus to finalising its 2026 programme. The team is expected to escalate preparations as the first pre season test approaches.