Bottas says Cadillac shut down Herta rumor fast

Valtteri Bottas said Cadillac moved immediately to reassure him after rumors surfaced over his Formula 1 future, with team management telling him reports linking Colton Herta to his seat were “completely false.”

Bottas said Cadillac also publicly rejected the claim, pointing out that Herta does not yet hold an FIA Super Licence and is still focused on Formula 2 as he works toward eligibility for F1.

The speculation grew earlier in the 2026 season when Bottas appeared to be trailing team-mate Sergio Perez, but he said it later became clear that his side of the garage had been dealing with a range of power unit and chassis-related problems.

In comments to media including RacingNews365, Bottas said the episode was another example of how quickly inaccurate stories can spread. “It's part of the sport. Sometimes there are some headlines that are not true. You know, that's just how it goes. And then, especially now with social media, people pick it up pretty quickly; things can go viral quite quickly.”

He said the key point was Cadillac’s response and his own understanding of where he stands. “Immediately when we saw the rumours, the team came to me and said, 'These are completely false', and I also know what my situation is, so that's why it's fine.”

Bottas was also careful to stress that Herta remains an important part of Cadillac’s setup. He said the American has been “supporting us from the simulator” while “still learning in F2,” and called him “definitely a good asset to have” because he brings views from “a completely different category, a different mindset and views.”

That left Bottas clear on the bigger implication for the driver market. With Cadillac having shut down the rumor internally and publicly, he said there will be “no silly season” for him in 2026.