BOTTAS ‘NEEDS TO DO’ MORE WEEKENDS LIKE AUSTIN TO KEEP CADILLAC SEAT – BUDKOWSKI

Valtteri Bottas is on thin ice at Cadillac. Team principal Marcin Budkowski made that clear after extending Sergio Perez's contract while leaving Bottas' future undecided. The message: replicate Austin or find a new ride.

Perez has been the quicker driver this season, but Bottas finally showed up in Texas with strong qualifying and race pace. "That's what he needs to do, race in, race out," Budkowski said. The problem is consistency — and possibly the car itself.

Cadillac admits it can't guarantee both cars are identically prepared. They're a new team, built from scratch in months, and Bottas keeps reporting he can't extract more pace even when data shows no obvious deficit. They're investigating whether his chassis is getting shortchanged.

Lurking in the background: Colton Herta, Cadillac's American test driver, now eligible for a superlicence. If Bottas doesn't deliver more Austin-level weekends, Herta's pathway to the grid opens wide.