Cadillac's Bold Move: Bottas Nears New Deal Amid Alpine Rumours
Jul.30 - Valtteri Bottas is closing in on a full-time return to the Formula 1 grid with Cadillac, with multiple sources suggesting a 2026 deal is now within reach.
Speaking after Spa, well-known F1 photographer Kym Illman revealed a private exchange with the Finn. "I told him I've seen some reports that you've already signed a deal with Cadillac," Illman said on his YouTube channel, according to Finland's MTV.
"He said, 'No, I haven't made a deal with Cadillac, but we're close.'"
"Of course, being close doesn't guarantee anything, but if I were to bet, it would be small odds that he will be Cadillac's driver next season," Illman added.
The speculation reached fever pitch over the Belgian GP weekend, with former world champion Nico Rosberg pressing Bottas on the grid during Sky's live coverage.
"New contract with Cadillac?" Rosberg asked. "Just a rumour, yeah?"
Bottas - now 35 and serving as Mercedes reserve - offered a wry smile. "There's lots of rumours in this sport."
While Cadillac is widely tipped to pair Bottas with Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich, some had also linked Bottas to Alpine, where rookie Franco Colapinto is enduring a disastrous second half-season in F1.
Michael Schmidt of Auto Motor und Sport reports that the young Argentine - a Flavio Briatore-backed talent on loan from Williams - is likely to be dropped after 2025.
"Jack Doohan has already lost his seat and Franco Colapinto will be fired after the season at the latest," Schmidt wrote, giving the 21-year-old just 4 out of 10 for his Spa performance. Teammate Pierre Gasly, by contrast, scored a perfect 10.
Rosberg, speaking to f1-insider.com, sees Bottas as the obvious choice for Cadillac's first F1 campaign.
"Bottas, definitely, as he was also close in direct comparison with Lewis Hamilton. That's a safe bet."
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I'm also positive Bottas will sign for Cadillac in the end, & I'll still lean more towards Checo being the other one they'll sign rather than a rookie (except for Jak Crawford) or a driver with limited F1 racing experience.
I also still think that Colapinto will continue beyond this season's end, & if he were to be sacked for another driver, it'd only happen after the season rather than during anymore unless a change became absolutely necessary due to some extreme unforeseen circumstances.
His successor would most likely be Checo should he be overlooked by Cadillac & alternatively either Aron or Zhou if he also gets snubbed by Cadillac, given the limited viable options.
Btw, Briatore isn't Colapinto's manager if the 'backed' reference attempts to imply this.
I forgot to add that Tsunoda is also a viable option for Alpine (as well as Cadillac), given his uncertain future.
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