Bottas acknowledges considering an Alpine opportunity prior to the Cadillac agreement.

      "It’s been quite an eventful week."

      Valtteri Bottas stated that his return to the Formula 1 grid with Cadillac was planned well before the official announcement made this week in New York. The 35-year-old Finnish driver, who faced challenges during his last season with Sauber in 2024 and has been serving as Mercedes’ reserve this year, suddenly found himself at the center of transfer rumors. Alpine even expressed interest in signing him. "It’s been quite an eventful week," Bottas said with a smile at Zandvoort during an interview with Viaplay.

      Speculation suggests that the agreement was reached some time ago, which Bottas does not refute. "The initial discussions actually took place a couple of years ago," he disclosed. "We have maintained contact since then. At the start of this year, we began serious conversations. It then became clear that I wanted to be part of this project. When the team was ready to sign their first driver, I was prepared immediately, and a deal was finalized."

      Alpine had also looked at Sergio Perez, who eventually joined Bottas at Cadillac, but Bottas asserts that he never doubted his decision. "There was another option, Alpine," he acknowledged. "Nonetheless, I already sensed at the beginning of the year that this would be a better choice for my long-term goals. The team wanted two experienced drivers who could collaborate instead of just competing against one another."

      Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore now claims that the Enstone-based team played a minor role in guiding Bottas towards Cadillac. "I believe Alpine assisted Bottas somewhat in securing his contract with Cadillac," he stated at the Dutch GP. "We did some marketing," he laughed. Yet, the charismatic Italian also commended the Finn’s abilities: "He was unfortunate to race for Mercedes while Lewis was performing at his peak. It’s great to have a driver with so much experience back, but I’m looking for something different."

      Regarding Mercedes, Toto Wolff emphasized that the Brackley-based team will miss Bottas in his reserve position, but he preferred to facilitate a smooth departure for his former driver. "Toto was genuinely pleased," Bottas recounted. "He mentioned it was a pity I was leaving. They were clearly satisfied with my contributions. However, they understand that I want to race."

      Bottas is also aware that the 2026 season will present challenges. "We’re discussing an entirely new project," he acknowledged. "Everything will start from scratch, which is exciting, but it also means there’s a lot of work ahead. We're aiming for a solid start to the year, with the goal of finishing races. It will certainly take a few years before we see any significant results."