Valtteri Bottas is reportedly set to be announced as a Cadillac driver for 2026 and beyond next week after striking an agreement with F1’s latest addition to the grid. However, the Finn’s debut for the American squad will be interrupted by a five-place grid penalty. Bottas received a five-place grid penalty at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after he suffered a significant lock-up and ran into Kevin Magnussen, tagging the former Haas driver into a spin.
This ruined his final race with Sauber and earned him hefty retribution from the stewards. However, with no seat on the grid for 2025, Bottas could not serve the penalty this year. When the FIA introduced a new regulation stating that grid penalties will now be served “at the driver’s next Sprint or Race in which the driver participates in the subsequent twelve (12) month period,” it looked as though the 10-time Grand Prix winner might be let off the hook.
According to a report from The Race, though, Bottas will still need to serve his five-place grid penalty upon returning to the paddock, as the aforementioned rule change only applies to punishments dished out in the future.
Bottas is not the only F1 hopeful with a grid penalty hanging over him. Indianapolis 500 pole-winner Robert Shwartzman has a five-place grid penalty to his name after an incident during FP1 at the Mexican Grand Prix in 2024, which he would need to serve on debut should he earn a seat in the future.
Bottas’ return to the paddock is supported by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who welcomed his former driver back to the team in a reserve capacity for the 2025 campaign, and has publicly backed the 35-year-old in his pursuit of a full-time gig.
For the latest breaking stories and headlines, sign up to our Daily Express F1 newsletter, or join our WhatsApp community here.
“Valtteri has been part of the Mercedes family for a long, long time,” the Silver Arrows’ boss said earlier in the summer break. “He is a driver that, if some of our guys would have fish poisoning, you put him in the car and he’s going to be absolutely on [the] pace.
“That’s great to know that your reserve and third driver is as quick as it gets. But obviously, with Valtteri, he deserves a race seat. Hopefully, that door is going to open. Watch this space.”
Bottas is expected to partner with Sergio Perez at Cadillac. The former Red Bull driver has been heavily linked with the American squad after being dropped from the grid in December, and according to reports, is close to an agreement with Graeme Lowdon’s team.
