Valtteri Bottas gives honest opinion on a move to become Max Verstappen’s teammate

Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas is skeptical of his chances of landing a seat with Red Bull next year. The Finnish driver said people at Milton Keynes are not a big fan of him.

Bottas returned to Mercedes in 2025 after parting ways with Sauber. He is currently serving as a reserve driver, but doors to a comeback on the grid are not yet closed. The Finnish driver has been linked to multiple teams in the recent past, including Cadillac.

While Red Bull could also be a potential option since Yuki Tsunoda's contract is expiring at the end of the season, Bottas is keeping his expectations in check. He believes landing a seat with the Bulls is tough since people in the hierarchy are not a big fan of him.

Talking on the 'Beyond The Grid Podcast,' Valtteri Bottas said (via The Race):

"It just [got] put down quite quickly because I think there's a certain person, or a person, within the Red Bull organization that for some reason is not a big fan of mine. I don't know if they look outside their academy. They have so many drivers, they've got their junior team as well. It's a tough one because it seems like it's not an easy car to drive.

"Obviously Max is doing the job. He's really pushing almost beyond the limits of the car. And whoever has been alongside him hasn't looked great. But I don't know. I just wonder if that car, to be driven fast, needs a driver with experience. That's my speculation, but I think they know that I'm keen to race. They know that I would be available for next year. But I don't know their mindset on that."

Bottas had a notorious crash at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. Racing for Mercedes, he caused a first-corner pileup that impacted Max Verstappen during his title fight with Lewis Hamilton.

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Valtteri Bottas opens up on potential 'interesting' opportunity with Cadillac

Valtteri Bottas at F1 Grand Prix of Spain - Previews - Source: Getty

Cadillac is set to debut in F1 in 2026, and their driver lineup is still undecided. As per rumours, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez and Zhou Guanyu are likely in talks to land a seat with Cadillac.

For Bottas, the new team is an exciting project, and he is open to putting in his candidature. Talking to ESPN, he said:

"I don't think they're in a massive rush. They've been very, very busy trying to get a car on the grid for next year. For me, I actually see a very interesting project, something new to F1: an American team with maybe a different view of the sport. If I were there as a driver, it would be actually very interesting because you can start from scratch."

He added that his experience could help the team in faster growth. Moreover, with the 2026 engine regulation changes also on the horizon, Valtteri Bottas is keen to land a seat for the next season.