Cadillac’s Lowdon Dismisses Bottas Exit Rumors as 'Completely Incorrect'

Cadillac’s debut F1 season has already generated its share of paddock noise, but team principal Graeme Lowdon is pushing back hard on rumors that Valtteri Bottas could be replaced mid-season. Just five races into 2026, speculation had swirled that Bottas’ seat alongside Sergio Perez was under threat, with some even suggesting Colton Herta might step in. Lowdon, however, calls it all “completely incorrect.”

Why it matters:

For a brand-new team still building its operations while racing, stability and driver buy-in are critical. Lowdon’s blunt denial reinforces that Cadillac is not panicking over early results — and that outside gossip won’t dictate personnel decisions. The message aims to quiet distractions and keep focus on the long-term project.

The details:

• Bottas rumors: Lowdon told Racing News 365 that “there is no foundation, no truth” to any suggestion Valtteri Bottas is being evaluated for an early exit. He stressed the rumors are “factually completely incorrect.”
• Context of team building: Lowdon argued the outside world doesn’t understand the extraordinary workload both drivers are handling — constructing the team while racing simultaneously, developing the car session to session.
• Herta speculation dismissed: Reports that reserve driver Colton Herta could replace Bottas were also rejected on practical grounds: Herta lacks enough FIA superlicense points for an immediate race seat. “That probably says it all about the quality of some of the rumors,” Lowdon added.
• Performance perspective: Despite early struggles, Lowdon noted Cadillac has been closer to the 107% qualifying threshold than pre-season doomsayers predicted — just a few fractions off in Montreal sprint qualifying.

What's next:

Both Bottas and Perez remain fully embedded in Cadillac’s build-up phase, with a clear program for each driver. Lowdon emphasized that “not one shred of actual truth” supports the exit chatter. For now, the team is focused on extracting more pace from the car — not reshuffling the driver lineup. The paddock will likely need to find another storyline.