Bottas Bids Emotional Farewell to Mercedes Ahead of Cadillac Move

Valtteri Bottas has formally concluded his second stint with Mercedes, sharing an emotional social media tribute after serving as the team's reserve driver throughout 2025. The Finn will return to full-time racing in 2026 with Cadillac, marking the American manufacturer's entry as F1's 11th team alongside Sergio Perez.

Why it matters:

Bottas' departure closes a significant chapter for Mercedes' 'family' culture that defined their dominant era. His seamless transition from title-contending race driver (2017-2021) to valued reserve role demonstrates the team's retention of human connections beyond performance – a contrast to F1's increasingly transactional driver market. For Cadillac, securing a proven race winner with 10 career victories provides crucial credibility ahead of their high-stakes 2026 debut.

The details:

• Bottas framed his 2025 reserve role as a "gap year" reuniting with "family," having previously driven for Mercedes during their five consecutive constructors' championships.
• His farewell post emphasized deepened respect: "This team always has a special place in my heart... I now respect the team, the sport, and every personnel involved even more than before."
• Wolff's endorsement: Mercedes team principal highlighted Bottas' professionalism: "His contribution as our third driver this year has been exemplary. He still has so much to offer and deserves to be lining up in Melbourne."
• Cadillac's urgency: The General Motors-backed team immediately welcomed Bottas with "The time is now," signaling aggressive preparation for their inaugural season.
• Timeline clarity: After three seasons with Sauber (2022-2024), Bottas returned to Mercedes for 2025 before securing the Cadillac seat – ending speculation about his future without a full-year absence from racing.

What's next:

The 36-year-old's return represents both a homecoming and new challenge. At Cadillac, he'll leverage his Mercedes-era development experience to shape the American team's foundational car while mentoring Perez – whose Red Bull exit created the vacancy. Mercedes faces replacing his institutional knowledge, though their driver pipeline remains strong with Andrea Kimi Antonelli's promotion.

Bottas' journey mirrors F1's evolving landscape: established stars finding value beyond race seats, while new teams prioritize proven talent over untested prospects. His Abu Dhabi farewell wasn't just a personal moment – it signaled Mercedes' confidence in their post-Hamilton era and Cadillac's serious intent to avoid the struggles of recent entrants like Haas. As the first driver to transition directly from a top team's reserve role to a new outfit's race seat, Bottas may have pioneered a template for veteran drivers in F1's increasingly structured ecosystem.