Bottas reveals 'known issue' at Cadillac caused Miami GP drive-through penalty

Valtteri Bottas has revealed that a faulty pit limiter button—a "known issue" for Cadillac—caused his drive-through penalty at the Miami Grand Prix. The Finn exceeded the pit lane speed limit by 9.6 km/h and finished last among finishers in P18, two laps down. The incident underscores the teething problems that a brand-new F1 team inevitably faces, though Cadillac has performed admirably in its first four races, even sitting ahead of established team Aston Martin in the standings.

Why it matters:

Reliability issues are a natural part of building a new F1 team from scratch, but they directly impact race results and driver confidence. Bottas's openness about the problem reflects a transparent team culture, while his experience as a 10-time Grand Prix winner helps guide development. The team's early progress is promising, but consistency in parts quality remains a hurdle.

The details:

• The penalty: Bottas pressed the pit limiter button but it didn't engage properly due to insufficient tactile feedback. He explained: "We're still lacking a bit of feedback on some of the buttons... It's been a known issue, we just haven't got the new buttons yet."
• Expected fix: New buttons are expected by the next race in Montreal, showing the team is actively addressing reliability.
• Driver mindset: Bottas said he is not frustrated—"this is what I signed up for." He acknowledged difficult times but pointed to hidden areas of improvement.
• Upgrade impact: Cadillac's first major upgrade package worked but suffered from inconsistency in part quality across the car, affecting pace on degrading tires.
• Performance gap: The car's weakness lies in high-to-medium speed corners. Montreal's low-speed layout should help narrow the gap to competitors.

What's next:

Bottas is optimistic about the Canadian Grand Prix, hoping the car's characteristics will suit the circuit. He added: "It's a short lap as well, gaps are a little bit smaller, so yeah, looking forward to it." Cadillac aims to make another step forward as it continues to refine its 2026 contender.