Valtteri Bottas will start his first race back in F1 with Cadillac in 2026 with a five-place grid penalty. The veteran driver, announced this week as part of the new American team’s lineup, carries over a stewards’ decision from his final Sauber outing. Bottas retired from that race after a collision with Kevin Magnussen, for which he was held responsible for misjudging braking. Since he couldn't serve a drive-through equivalent penalty due to his retirement, it rolls over.
This means Cadillac's highly anticipated debut, likely at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, will see one of their drivers immediately on the back foot. Interestingly, Bottas’s incident-filled final race also included a clash with future Cadillac teammate Sergio Perez. While a long way off, it’s a challenging start for Bottas as he looks to lead the American charge onto the grid.
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