Bottas says Cadillac situation unchanged amid Herta speculation

Valtteri Bottas says he remains convinced that nothing has changed in his situation at Cadillac, despite speculation that Colton Herta could replace him for 2027.

After Herta's latest first-practice appearance in São Paulo, Bottas told selected media that he was surprised by the scale of the rumours. He said he had heard that Cadillac was happy with his work.

Bottas has a multi-year deal with an option to extend his stay at Cadillac into 2027, but the team has not formally triggered it. Herta has emerged as a leading contender for the seat. He has accumulated superlicence points through a string of FP1 outings and now has the total needed to race in F1. Cadillac has made no secret of its ambition to field an American driver.

Bottas said he had followed the team's instructions throughout the season; at times, he said, it had been clear that he should focus on getting the car to the finish. Decisions about Cadillac's future require board approval, he said, and he believes the relevant meeting has yet to take place.