Valtteri Bottas is going to be one of the key players in the Formula 1 driver market heading into the 2026 season.
The Finn possesses valuable race-winning experience and has driven at both ends of the grid recently. It’s no wonder Mercedes signed him up to be their reserve.
Off the track, Bottas has been a social media sensation too, giving fans a humorous insight into the operation of race weekends. With the 2026 F1 regulations approaching fast, he might be about to start receiving some calls from big players in the driver market.
Bottas let slip Mercedes’ driver plans, and it doesn’t appear that he has any chance of a race seat with them next season, despite his long service with them. They are happy with their current duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
After a fascinating revelation in Spain, Bottas could replace Stroll at Aston Martin, who has been experiencing difficulty with his wrists. A good showing in their car would put him on their rivals’ radars even further for the future.
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Valtteri Bottas made a ‘next level’ discovery while driving McLaren’s F1 car in a test
Claire Williams ‘cannot believe’ Bottas isn’t on the F1 grid but it seems that he has a good chance of returning at some point in the future. Cadillac had talks over their 2026 F1 drivers in Miami and Bottas appears to be one of the stronger candidates for the role.
With 246 race starts, 67 podiums and 10 wins under his belt, he would be a great option for most midfield teams looking for someone to take them to the next level. Cadillac are new to Formula 1, and they’re going to need as much experience as they can get.
As part of Bottas’ Mercedes role, he was permitted to test for McLaren back in March, doing so at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. It was there that he made a fascinating discovery about their car.
“[I] Definitely felt the difference,” he said. “I knew that the car was going to be good always in high-speed corners. But the stability it had for example through corners in Barcelona was next level. Really enjoyed driving that car and also with a great team.”
READ MORE: George Russell recalls the moment he sent Toto Wolff a ‘powerful message’ to replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes
Which F1 teams could be interested in Valtteri Bottas for 2026?
The Formula 1 driver market isn’t quite as exciting as it was last year. There are fewer serious openings, but that could all change.
That’s if Max Verstappen, for example, were to decide that he no longer wants to be a Red Bull driver. Chaos would then begin.
For now though, Bottas can realistically target seats at Cadillac and Alpine, given their current instability. He would be a great choice for both and has experienced multiple regulation changes before.
He was around for the big engine changes in 2014, the big car changes in 2017 and the even bigger ones in 2022.
Bottas is Cadillac’s ideal 2026 F1 candidate, and although they aren’t expected to be fast straight away, the future may hold a lot of promise for them.
