Source: Official Team Post via X
Bottas or Herta: Who Will Join Perez at Cadillac in 2027?
With Sergio Perez confirmed to stay at Cadillac, the team faces a decision between retaining Valtteri Bottas or promoting Colton Herta. Bottas remains the favorite, but Herta's potential rise adds intrigue to Cadillac's 2027 lineup.
Valtteri Bottas finds himself in a bit of a pickle at Cadillac, despite having a multi-year contract. The team hasn't yet committed to keeping him for 2027, leaving the Finnish driver in a precarious spot. Bottas returned to the grid this season after a stint as Mercedes' third driver, but his year hasn't exactly been smooth sailing. His latest retirement in Austin marked his eighth of the season, only surpassed by Aston Martin's Lance Stroll.
These setbacks have made it tough for Bottas to showcase his talents, and his teammate Sergio Perez has generally had the upper hand. Perez, who will continue with Cadillac beyond 2027, has outperformed Bottas in several areas. In qualifying, Perez leads 10-8, and in races where both finished, he’s ahead 6-1. Perez also boasts 14 fastest laps to Bottas's three. Given these numbers, Cadillac's decision to secure Perez's services for the long haul makes sense.
Cadillac has always been intrigued by the notion of having an American driver, provided merit backs the choice. Enter Colton Herta, the team's test driver, who despite a lackluster F2 season, has impressed during his FP1 outings with Cadillac. Herta is tantalizingly close to earning his super license, requiring just one more point, which he could secure with another FP1 session in Mexico.
While Bottas might still be the frontrunner to partner Perez, Herta's presence adds a layer of intrigue. Cadillac, known for its strategic diversity across their cars, is in no rush to solidify their second seat. Other names like Esteban Ocon, who recently parted ways with Haas, and Red Bull reserve Yuki Tsunoda have been linked to the team, but they remain long shots.
In essence, Cadillac finds itself at a crossroads. They could either maintain their current path with Bottas, benefiting from his experience and leadership, or they could take a gamble on Herta, tapping into the allure of an American driver. The decision remains in the air, but one thing is certain: Cadillac has intriguing options to consider for 2027.