Bottas 'expected bad, but not this bad' at Cadillac
· Michelle Foster · 2026-08-16T14:34:42+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Valtteri Bottas has ‘given up a little bit’ as Steiner delivers Cadillac verdict
Guenther Steiner says Valtteri Bottas could be in trouble for F1 2027
Guenther Steiner believes Valtteri Bottas is the Cadillac driver most at risk of losing his seat for F1 2027, claiming the Finn has ‘given up a little bit’.
Rumours began after the Canadian Grand Prix that suggested Bottas’ days at Cadillac were numbered as his performance level had not met the team’s expectations.
Valtteri Bottas ‘given up a little bit’ as Perez ‘just better at the moment’ – Steiner
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Although neither driver has scored a point in the team’s debut campaign, Bottas trails Sergio Perez in the head-to-head battles.
He’s 5-6 down in qualifying having narrowed his deficit by beating Perez in the last three qualifying sessions, including securing a season-high of P18 at the British Grand Prix.
He also trails his teammate in the race head-to-head, but is ahead of him in the Drivers’ standings by virtue of his P13 at the Chinese Grand Prix. That, though, was the only Grand Prix in which he finished ahead of Perez when both reached the chequered flag.
Bottas’ stats haven’t been helped by four retirements in the last six races. Nor, claims Steiner, has Bottas’ record been helped by the Finn seemingly giving up.
Ranking Perez as a ‘C-tier’ and Bottas as ‘D’, Steiner told The Red Flags podcast: “Perez is just better than him at the moment.
“What he [Perez] tries to do, I think Valtteri has given up a little bit on it, looks like.
“I think it’s just like he [Perez] wants to prove something, but I think Valtteri is more like the guy that’s said, ‘What can I prove with the equipment I have?’. Checo is trying to give his 100 per cent all the time.”
Valtteri Bottas v Sergio Perez: Cadillac F1 2026 scores
F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between teammates
F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates
Steiner went on to claim that if Cadillac does decide it wants to put a different driver in the car next season, it will be Bottas who loses his seat.
“I think in the moment they have to get the car better and to see what they are doing,” Steiner said.
“But if they need to change one driver, obviously I think they’re gonna change Valtteri. I mean his results are not as good, and I think Valtteri expected bad, but not this bad.
“Now it’s like, ‘hell yeah! I mean, I’m driving a Formula 1 car, but I did a good job at Mercedes being the reserve driver because I was last as being the reserve driver because I didn’t participate, and now I need to make all this effort to be last.'”
However, contrary to Steiner’s comments, Bottas has no concerns about his future with Cadillac.
So much so, he has bluntly stated that he won’t be involved in this year’s silly season.
“The main thing is I know my situation,” he told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media.
“The team, immediately when we saw the rumours, the team came to me that these are completely false, and I also know what my situation is, so that’s why it’s fine, and it’s nothing new in my career.
“Every driver, at some point, they’re going to go through things like this.
“So, no silly season for me.”
Cadillac signed Bottas and Perez to lead the team into Formula 1 for its debut campaign, but while the team didn’t announce the duration of either driver’s contract, it was widely reported that they’d signed multi-year deals.
That, though, could mean a one-plus-one, with only the first year guaranteed, while the second season is activated only if conditions are met.
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You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read Next: Charles Leclerc weighs in after Toto Wolff comment sparks Vasseur rage
Guenther Steiner says Valtteri Bottas could be in trouble for F1 2027
Guenther Steiner believes Valtteri Bottas is the Cadillac driver most at risk of losing his seat for F1 2027, claiming the Finn has ‘given up a little bit’.
Rumours began after the Canadian Grand Prix that suggested Bottas’ days at Cadillac were numbered as his performance level had not met the team’s expectations.
Valtteri Bottas ‘given up a little bit’ as Perez ‘just better at the moment’ – Steiner
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.
Although neither driver has scored a point in the team’s debut campaign, Bottas trails Sergio Perez in the head-to-head battles.
He’s 5-6 down in qualifying having narrowed his deficit by beating Perez in the last three qualifying sessions, including securing a season-high of P18 at the British Grand Prix.
He also trails his teammate in the race head-to-head, but is ahead of him in the Drivers’ standings by virtue of his P13 at the Chinese Grand Prix. That, though, was the only Grand Prix in which he finished ahead of Perez when both reached the chequered flag.
Bottas’ stats haven’t been helped by four retirements in the last six races. Nor, claims Steiner, has Bottas’ record been helped by the Finn seemingly giving up.
Ranking Perez as a ‘C-tier’ and Bottas as ‘D’, Steiner told The Red Flags podcast: “Perez is just better than him at the moment.
“What he [Perez] tries to do, I think Valtteri has given up a little bit on it, looks like.
“I think it’s just like he [Perez] wants to prove something, but I think Valtteri is more like the guy that’s said, ‘What can I prove with the equipment I have?’. Checo is trying to give his 100 per cent all the time.”
Valtteri Bottas v Sergio Perez: Cadillac F1 2026 scores
F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between teammates
F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates
Steiner went on to claim that if Cadillac does decide it wants to put a different driver in the car next season, it will be Bottas who loses his seat.
“I think in the moment they have to get the car better and to see what they are doing,” Steiner said.
“But if they need to change one driver, obviously I think they’re gonna change Valtteri. I mean his results are not as good, and I think Valtteri expected bad, but not this bad.
“Now it’s like, ‘hell yeah! I mean, I’m driving a Formula 1 car, but I did a good job at Mercedes being the reserve driver because I was last as being the reserve driver because I didn’t participate, and now I need to make all this effort to be last.'”
However, contrary to Steiner’s comments, Bottas has no concerns about his future with Cadillac.
So much so, he has bluntly stated that he won’t be involved in this year’s silly season.
“The main thing is I know my situation,” he told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media.
“The team, immediately when we saw the rumours, the team came to me that these are completely false, and I also know what my situation is, so that’s why it’s fine, and it’s nothing new in my career.
“Every driver, at some point, they’re going to go through things like this.
“So, no silly season for me.”
Cadillac signed Bottas and Perez to lead the team into Formula 1 for its debut campaign, but while the team didn’t announce the duration of either driver’s contract, it was widely reported that they’d signed multi-year deals.
That, though, could mean a one-plus-one, with only the first year guaranteed, while the second season is activated only if conditions are met.
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read Next: Charles Leclerc weighs in after Toto Wolff comment sparks Vasseur rage