Speaking about the 2026 season, Valtteri Bottas also made a brief reference to the past by explaining the main difference between Ferrari and Mercedes power units.
Valtteri Bottas, after serving as Mercedes’ third driver during the 2025 season, is now ready to return to racing action and has chosen to do so with the Cadillac team. The American outfit will become the eleventh team on the Formula 1 starting grid. In an interview given to the microphones of Formula 1’s official channel, the Finnish driver discussed the challenges that the new regulations will bring, focusing in particular on one of the most debated topics ahead of 2026: power units. While addressing this subject, the Cadillac driver also made a short reference to his recent experience with both Mercedes and Ferrari power units.
The power unit question mark
Valtteri Bottas, speaking with Jolyon Palmer and Juan Pablo Montoya, explained the work required from a driver to adapt to the new generation of single-seaters: “It starts before the regulations actually change and before you even have the new car. It starts in the simulator. You can simulate certain aspects of the car’s behaviour based on wind tunnel numbers, based on the set-up and based on the new regulations related to the power unit.”
The months leading up to the new season are filled with many unanswered questions, which will only begin to find concrete answers during the first test session scheduled to take place in Barcelona at the end of January. For now, drivers can rely solely on data gathered in the simulator. Cadillac, in its debut season, will be powered by a Ferrari power unit. Valtteri Bottas, who in his recent career has had the opportunity to drive cars powered by both Ferrari and Mercedes engines, explained what makes the two power units so different.
The Finnish driver stated: “When I used the Mercedes power unit, the way it worked was quite different: many things were automated. With the Ferrari engine, in recent years, some aspects were a bit more manual, which can be a good or a bad thing.”
As Valtteri Bottas prepares to lead Cadillac into their inaugural Formula 1 season, his nuanced understanding of different engine philosophies could prove to be the American team’s greatest asset. The transition to a Ferrari-powered car brings with it a shift toward more manual management—a challenge that Valtteri Bottas seems to embrace as it places more responsibility back into the driver’s hands. With the 2026 technical regulations set to reset the competitive order, the veteran Finn’s ability to “translate” the behavior of the Maranello engine for his new team will be crucial in determining how quickly Cadillac can climb the mid-field ladder.
