Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Cadillac is already discussing Valtteri Bottas’ position after another heavy qualifying defeat to Sergio Perez in Canada, according to Sky Italia reporting from the Formula 1 paddock.
Italian journalist Roberto Chinchero said Bottas was beaten by Perez by roughly 0.8 to 1.0 seconds in both qualifying sessions at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a gap he described as serious enough to cast doubt over the Finn’s standing. Chinchero said he did not know whether there had been a brake problem, but added: “I don’t think his position is safe.”
That is a sharp turn only five races into Cadillac’s first season with an all-veteran line-up. The team had picked Bottas and Perez to bring stability early on, yet Sky Italia’s reporting says internal discussion about Bottas’ role has already started, with Monaco now framed as a possible must-deliver weekend for him.
The pressure comes after a poor opening run. Bottas has not finished higher than 13th, with results of 13th, 19th, 18th and 16th, plus a retirement in Melbourne. Perez is still waiting for his first points too, but he has made the steadier impression and has regularly had the edge in qualifying.
The uncertainty may not stop with Bottas. Chinchero also reported that Perez is sounding out alternatives, saying: “Perez has asked around other teams.” He added that the Mexican “probably doesn’t want to retire. He wants to continue and, if possible, at a higher level.”
That has fueled talk that Cadillac’s current pairing may not last beyond this season. Chinchero predicted that at least one of the team’s two current drivers could be gone for 2027, and said it was also possible that both seats could change hands.
If Cadillac does reset its line-up, Colton Herta is the name most closely linked with a future seat. Chinchero said there is a clear route for the American if he secures the Super Licence required for Formula 1, pointing to the possibility that Cadillac could move away from a survival-minded veteran pairing and toward a longer-term build.