‘Complete bullshit’: Bottas blasts Cadillac exit rumours

Valtteri Bottas has strongly denied speculation that his seat at Cadillac is under threat after being outpaced by teammate Sergio Perez at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Finn, who returned to F1 this season after a year as a Mercedes reserve, labeled the reports 'complete bullshit' and revealed the team has identified technical issues behind his performance deficit.

Why it matters:

Bottas's return to a full-time drive with Cadillac was seen as a key move for the new American team, bringing experience to its debut campaign. Any instability in the driver lineup could hinder development, but both driver and team principal are united in dismissing the rumors, suggesting the outfit remains focused on long-term progress rather than knee-jerk changes.

The Details:

• Bottas laughed off the rumors when asked ahead of Monaco: 'It's not the first time I've faced those kind of rumours. It's a bit of a shame that somebody just makes up complete bullshit, but that's normal in this sport.'
• He added that the team supports him 100% and that speculation is driven by 'headlines and clicks.'
• Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon also categorically rejected the rumors, noting reserve driver Colton Herta lacks the necessary super license points to race in F1.
• Regarding his Canadian GP struggles, Bottas explained that post-race analysis revealed issues on both the power unit and car build sides. 'We can see reasons, which is good to see,' he said.

What's Next:

Bottas now shifts focus to Monaco, where he sees an opportunity for Cadillac to score its first points. 'This weekend always is an opportunity for everyone,' he noted, referencing Jules Bianchi's 2014 points for Marussia. The team will continue to work on quality control to close the gap to Perez and the midfield.