Valtteri Bottas is realistic about his F1 return. Even if you don’t drive for wins, the Finn’s motivation is top class.
Valtteri Bottas sends greetings to Finnish formula fans through Iltalehti. Now it’s not worth loading up on high-flying advance expectations.
– My and the team’s goals have been set to be moderate. And I urge Finnish fans of the sport to have the same way of thinking, says Bottas.
The 36-year-old from Nastola is a ten-time competition winner and a two-time World Cup silver medalist in the sport, but now above all a realist.
As the driver of the new Cadillac team, he will not fight for the top positions this year.
– Where we start from Melbourne is not the most important thing. Follow the situation we ended up in at the end of the season, Bottas instructs.
To work early
Valtteri Bottas brings valuable experience to the Cadillac F1 team. PDO
Cadillac is a completely new F1 team. Unlike Audi, which bought Sauber, the American team has been built completely from scratch. The last time something similar was seen 10 years ago, when Haas joined the F1 cartel.
Bottas was washed up for Cadillac well in advance of last year. The Finn with 246 GP starts brings valuable experience from the top of the sport to the team.
The Finn, who drove as a race driver for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021, was the reserve driver of the successful team last year. In between, three seasons passed as a driver for Alfa Romeo and Sauber.
– I started in the ranks of Cadillac even before my first official day of work, Bottas reveals.
A sensational headline?
– I got permission from Mercedes, Bottas laughs.
The first tasks meant participating in meetings and fine-tuning the simulator and driving it. Naturally, work obligations towards Mersu faded at the same time.
Not on top, not last
The first steps of the completely new F1 team have gone according to expectations. Cadillac Formula 1 Team
Cadillac has prepared well for its F1 challenge, but the new team must be approached realistically. It’s a long way to the top.
The winter tests went as expected. The Cadillac didn’t charm with its speed, but it wasn’t too much of a toss-up. There was also a slight problem with the reliability of the fleet, but there was no disaster like Aston Martin.
Valtteri Bottas
- GP starts: 246
- Profits: 10
- Paling: 20
- Fastest laps: 19
- Podiums: 67
- WC points: 1 797
- In the World Series: the second in 2019 & 2020, third 2017 & 2021
- Previous stables: Williams 2013-2016, Mercedes 2017-2021, Alfa Romeo 2022-2024
– We noticed small faults here and there. But that was expected. If the reliability of the car was already one hundred percent at this stage, it would have been a miracle of the highest order, Bottas reminds.
– But it was positive that we were able to try out a few aspects related to performance already in the tests.
Bottas reminds us that the winter tests never reveal the real differences between the teams. But something can always be deduced from them.
– At the moment, we are not bothering the top teams. That’s a fact.
– But hopefully we won’t be the last either.
Updates coming
Bottas is realistic about this season. Cadillac Formula 1 Team
F1 teams never stand still. The development work grinds all the time.
Cadillac’s first big challenge was to put together a working car. It was successful.
The next step is to continuously improve the car during the season.
– We will get new updates to the car already in Melbourne. And as far as I can tell, they are expected for every early season race, Bottas reveals.
Bottas’ trust in the team is strong.
– I am realistic about this season’s goals. So does the whole team. Our motto for this season is that this project will take time, but sooner or later we will get good results.
However, Bottas is a racing driver.
– Of course, everyone wants results, and preferably as quickly as possible. I personally expect that we will be able to race against others this year.
However, it requires work, work and work. There is no shortcut to happiness.
– That’s exactly how it is. I’ve never been in this situation. In a team where everything is new for everyone and many things are experienced for the first time. This is an interesting challenge.
Although Cadillac is a new F1 team, it has hired a lot of experience in its ranks. Bottas gets an experienced race engineer John Howard’s.
– He previously worked at Alpine. Our cooperation is going very well. John is very clear on the radio and his experience is significantly useful, Bottas praises.
The Finn has a good feeling about the whole team.
– Everyone is really excited about this project. Everyone pulls together when the common goal is clear to everyone. Now the most important thing is to get everything in order for Melbourne, and from that we will improve step by step.
Bottas puts Finland back on the F1 map. Cadillac Formula 1 Team
