F1 star confirms he has immediately started work with new team | F1 | Sport

Perez has even already taken part in a private test, driving a borrowed Ferrari at the Imola circuit in Italy, so that the nascent Cadillac team could assess how its trackside operations will work ahead of its first season of competition. But, with the season finally over, Bottas has been given the all-clear by Mercedes to finally start working with his new colleagues.

This is his first official week as a Cadillac driver and it began with a seat fit at the team’s satellite base in Silverstone, across the road from the circuit which hosts the British Grand Prix. “I’m excited to be starting as a Cadillac Formula 1 Team driver – finally!” Bottas said.

“This is a proud moment in my career as it marks the beginning of a new chapter back on the grid with a team that’s starting its journey in the sport. There’s a lot of hard work that lies ahead, so I’m keen to use my experience to help the team now that I’m fully on board.

“Seeing everything coming together for the first time as a brand-new team is special and makes you realize the momentum of the project. It’s important to get the preparation right as these moments really are the first steps to getting us ready for the first test. I can’t wait to get the season started and go racing once again.”

Team principal Graeme Lowdon was present to watch the seat fit. He said: “It’s great to finally have Valtteri on board and integrated with the team. We’ve been planning for quite some time now, so it’s fantastic to see these moments happening ahead of our first season on track.

“I’m proud of all the work everybody is doing in the team. Formula 1 is the greatest team game in the world and it’s times like this where you see the skills, talent and expertise we have, and how well such a talent like Valtteri will be at home.”

New regulations for 2026 mean the off-season will be one of the shortest for a long time. The first batch of pre-season testing takes place behind closed doors in Barcelona in the last week of January, before two separate three-day testing blocks in Bahrain in February before the competitive action gets under way with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.