Valtteri Bottas says he’ll take a brand new perspective in 2026 when he returns as a Mercedes Reserve a yr later as a System 1 driver for the Cadillac.
Sauber has signed Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto to guide the workforce into the Audi period, signing a two-year contract that can run till 2026 and opting to depart Bottas with no seat for the present season. Finn returned to Mercedes to assist George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, however subsequent yr he returned to the grid with Cadillac, believing that yr he would higher perceive his position as a driver.
“General, after I see it, it was truly a very good yr,” Bottas advised the racers. “As a System 1 race driver, I used to be capable of safe my spot once more.
“If you’re a driver, you are like being in your personal bubble with a restricted variety of folks you’re employed with in individual. Particularly while you’re on monitor, you actually solely have one individual you are speaking with. However now you are within the storage for all of the periods and take heed to all of the coms taking place in several conditions, I believe I’ve truly discovered just a few issues about some teamwork.
“It opened my eyes a bit of. I believe this expertise will assist me sooner or later. I do know a bit of extra about how the workforce must function and what’s the commonplace for various issues.
“However I believe it was a very good yr as a result of they appreciated the game extra. Being a 20-year-old System 1 driver with 22 years previous or 22 years subsequent yr may be very distinctive.
Finn wished to return to the grid in 2026, however claims he did not discover many choices aside from the Cadillac alternative, given how fascinating the brand new workforce’s challenge is.
“I set Cadillac as a precedence fairly early this yr,” he mentioned. “That was actually the principle focus, in order that’s why the opposite discussions did not get too deep.
“To me, it was apparent what I wished, and in the long run, when it occurred, it clearly made me very, very joyful and every little thing went as deliberate.
“I discovered stuff you should not be assured in since final yr, so regardless of the lot of optimistic indicators, phrases and suggestions out of your boss, I knew you should not be too excited, however till it was achieved, I knew I might keep calm and do your factor.
“In fact, it felt nice to signal, and like the sensation of signing my first System One contract, it is actually cool.
“That day, I simply realized as soon as once more that the launch date in New York can be a System 1 driver I’m way more grateful for than what I did just a few years in the past.”
