Valtteri Bottas is understood to be top of the driver wishlist for the forthcoming Cadillac Formula 1 team, as it prepares to open talks with potential candidates at next weekend’s British Grand Prix.
The American squad, which is based at Silverstone, will send its Team Principal, Graeme Lowdon, to the race to sound out drivers that it has considered for its two seats, as it prepares to take to the grid for the first time next season, as per Autosport.
Dan Trowiss, the CEO of the TWG Group, the American multinational conglomerate which owns the team, will also be in attendance.
Bottas, who has spent this season out of a full-time drive and back at former employers Mercedes as a third and reserve driver, has been one of a number of drivers rumoured to be in the team’s thoughts for some time.
Motorsport Week can also reveal that Bottas and Lowdon were seen in what appeared to be in deep conversation in the FIA’s motorhome over the weekend of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Just yesterday, Bottas appeared in an amusing social media post in which he is videoed taking an interest in a Cadillac SUV on the streets, and when inspecting the interior of the car, proclaims it as “a nice seat.”
Who else is on the Cadillac list?
Mick Schumacher, currently driving for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship, is thought to be in consideration, and was said to be the only driver of any kind that attended the team’s launch party at the weekend of the Miami Grand Prix.
Sergio Perez has been a longstanding candidate too, but there is less of a guarantee about whether he will be signed.
It is yet unclear if the team will opt for two established drivers. If it is, then a Bottas-Perez pairing is what is thought to be most likely, however if there is scope for a blend of youth and experience, then Bottas will be the leading candidate of the latter category.
If Cadillac chooses this route, then its likeliest candidate for the former is Felipe Drugovich, currently a reserve driver for Aston Martin.
The Brazilian, who won the Formula 2 championship in 2022, is yet to find a full-time race seat in F1, and was said to have been ready to ditch his appearance at the Le Mans 24 Hours at the last minute for a one-off drive.
After Aston’s Lance Stroll withdrew from the Spanish Grand Prix owing to a persistent wrist injury, Drugovich was alleged to have hinted his wish to partake in the Canadian Grand Prix if Stroll was unable to drive.
The TWG Group, which also oversees the Andretti Formula E team, potentially has an additional opportunity to study the 25-year-old, as he is slated to make an appearace in the all-electric championship for Mahindra Racing at the upcoming Berlin E-Prix.
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