“The Popularity Of The Sport Is Benefiting All Of Us Drivers – Now The Teams Are In Much Healthier States”: Valtteri Bottas On The Road To Return

After a year away from the Formula 1 grid, the driver returned with renewed perspective, new energy, and a new team in March — but he never lost sight of his hunger to compete. With the promise of Cadillac's bold new era, he reflects on racing, respite, and discovering that sometimes the clearest view of the sport comes from time away.

Of all the days of the week, Sunday has, by custom and conviction, come to bear the weight of Sabbatarian expectation. Yet, in the world of Formula 1, Sundays have become a day of observance of a different kind: a day to revel in the spectacle of motorsport and the elite athleticism it demands, eagerly performed along cambered ribbons of asphalt that wind across the globe. Indeed, Sunday is – for all but two events in the sport’s 2026 calendar – race day.

Early last summer, on the first Sunday of July, such theatre was taking place at the British Grand Prix, as the sinuous curves of Maggotts and Becketts – the storied corners of Silverstone’s race track – became unequivocally drenched. Lest I be British here and make small talk about the country’s failed attempts on that day to deliver summer in its full potential. But in fact, it was all quite perfect.

Anyone who knows a Silverstone showdown in its most superlative form will know that it truly comes alive when the skies are disgruntled, and the rain pours. That is, if you’re in the driver’s seat, and you know exactly what you’re doing.

Enter Finnish Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas (who, thankfully, certainly does). I warily joined him in the passenger seat, anxious to be sitting with one of the world’s fastest drivers, in the bleating rain, an hour before the race’s start. On reflection, it is the most Silverstone experience one could possibly ask for.

Bottas, who’s finished as runner-up in the World Drivers’ Championship twice, second to his then-teammate Lewis Hamilton, is waiting for me to fasten my seatbelt before instilling the fear of man in me at full throttle, looping me around the circuit in an offering the sport calls “Hot Laps”: high-speed passenger rides around official Grand Prix circuits. Rest assured, there was nothing hot about this passenger, gawping in suppressed fear into a GoPro affixed to the dashboard.

While I’d like to proclaim that the G-Force was so extensive I can relate entirely to that of Bottas as a driver, what with neck craning one way and body another, I was likely nowhere near the 5-6g forces Bottas or his colleagues endure during a race. Rather, it was a hollow imitation of Bottas’ mettle, an athlete who has amassed an array of victories, podiums and pole positions throughout his Formula 1 career.

Aligning my feet with sceptical balance as the car came to a slow crawl, exiting with a promise to the DVLA that I’ll never speed again, I thanked him. “I hope to see you on the grid again soon,” I shared, in the year the driver, after an incredible 12 years within the sport and a stellar run during Mercedes’ previous victory reign, was resigned to the role of reserve driver for the German-British team. “I hope so too,” he smiled back.

What began as a rain-soaked passenger lap at Silverstone would, a year later, become an opportunity to look beyond the helmet and into the career of a driver whose story is still being written. The British Grand Prix rolled around again this year with a little less rain, but a new driver in pursuit: Bottas, returning to the Formula 1 grid as an official driver for the new Cadillac Formula 1 Team. New cars, a new pit crew, new suits and new merchandise – the latter coming thanks to a fanwear collection sewn in partnership with Tommy Hilfiger, featuring replica editions of the team’s kit as well as releases in step with the sport’s seasonal high points.

As Bottas and I meet again, this time through the more forgiving velocity of the digital void, hindsight offers a chance to reflect on navigating life away from the grid before embracing the next chapter. A return to Formula 1 beckons, with an all-new American entity backing him, proving that even when the lights go out, the race isn’t always over.

Scarlett Baker: Formula 1 has been an instrumental part of your life – particularly over the past decade or so as a driver – for a long time. Last year, we saw your departure from the grid as you took up a reserve driver role, in place of an official seat. How far would you say that having a little bit of distance has given you a new perspective as you rejoin the grid as an official driver this year?

Valtteri Bottas: I think [it] definitely [has]. I was in the sport for 12 years as a driver and then suddenly, when you're not racing anymore, you're there watching. For me, coming back this year, I feel like I definitely have a different perspective on the sport, and I appreciate it much more. I feel like I respect the sport much more, from the people who work in [it] to the drivers. I just needed that one year on the outside.

SB: A clichéd ask but a serious one: Do you think you’ve learned anything about yourself in that time away, that space could only grant you?

VB: I think it was good for me to discover and get confirmation of just how much I still need racing – how much I still love racing because, for me, once I started the year as a reserve driver, I knew I was going to miss it. And, you know, that feeling just became more and more difficult to handle. I definitely still have many years in me. I still love racing. I still have the fire to improve and get better.

SB: It’s great to see you return to the sport officially again, particularly as you’ve garnered a very strong fanbase. Your return this year marks a new team not only for you, but also within the sporting spectacle: Cadillac Formula 1 Team. If your return had a comeback, what’s your opening song?

VB: Probably Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the USA”. It has that good energy and always puts you in a good mood. It makes you feel strong.

SB: Plus, it’s Americana personified, befitting your new team. How often are you hearing it in the garage on a race weekend?

VB: [Laughs] Just a couple of times.

SB: You mentioned just how long you’ve been operating within the sport – can we look at where you are now? What kind of driver would you say that you are today compared to the Valtteri of five years ago?

VB: Much more experienced. Every year you gain so much in this sport. I think I've opened up as a person quite a lot compared to five years ago. I've learned not to take myself too seriously, to really enjoy the journey. Of course, working hard as always, but at the same time, you might as well have fun along the way and enjoy those moments. I’ve also learned that in the end, it is just a moment – it's not… It doesn't need to be life. There are other things in life as well. Now, I see the bigger picture of the sport and even the world, and I truly can be who I am.

Fashion by Tommy Hilfiger

SB: Looking at the scope of F1 throughout your career, as a spectator, it’s changed rapidly in recent years: with new teams, new audiences, new engines, new cars, and new expectations. But as a driver, what excites you most about where the sport is heading?

VB: To me, the biggest difference is the atmosphere. Every race is pretty much sold out. You know, we [used to] have races where the grandstands would be half empty. Sure, there are positives [from then]: there's less traffic, there's less distractions. But I honestly think the popularity of the sport is only benefiting all of us drivers. Yes, it raises our value in the sporting industry, but the big [impact] is really on the teams. Now the teams are in much healthier states. You know, most teams can now actually make profit, which was unheard of before in this sport. That's why I think the future of the sport is looking really good – it’s reaching even younger audiences now than back in the day too, and that obviously gives continuity in terms of the fanbase. And speaking of, I always thought it was just a matter of time since social media became bigger from when Netflix started and everything. Now, the sport is in good shape.

SB: Speaking of the fan base, when you’re pedal to the metal, any chance you can actually hear any of us yelping our support?

VB: No [laughs]. The engine is pretty loud.

SB: Noted: Shout louder or mime it at least, next time.

VB: When you finish a race, you definitely do – or during the Drivers’ Parade. You can really take it in. It’s pretty cool.

SB: With an ever-changing sport, we now have the Cadillac Formula 1 Team as the 11th ensemble to join the fun on the grid. Every team, of course, has its own personality. But what would you say Cadillac’s is?

VB: It is a truly American brand, which is something for the sport, and a big brand at that, backed in partnership between TWG Motorsports, the motorsport arm of TWG Global, and General Motors (GM), one of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers, both of which have already gained success in motorsports before Formula 1. It’s a new team, so there’s this excitement; not just for me as a driver, but everything is new here. Every single person on the team, every race. It’s young, it’s exciting, it’s cool.

SB: When you set out to be a Formula 1 driver, that mission is to become a high-performance athlete and do the best job you can in the car for your team. But as we mentioned, so much is happening in the wider ether of Formula 1 that encourages the sport to grow, a huge part of that being its fashion consciousness. Motorsport style used to be something you changed out of as quickly as possible after a race. Now, motorsport and fashion are becoming more connected than ever. Why do you think that relationship resonates so strongly with fans today?

VB: As drivers, we’re not just drivers anymore. The fans have had more access in the past few years to the personalities behind the race suit and helmet. I think people can relate, especially when it comes to fashion, whether that’s [my Cadillac teammate Sergio] “Checo” [Pérez] wearing this or me wearing that to the track. With the partnership of Tommy Hilfiger, we made the play so that if you are really a fan of Checo or me and you like what we wear, you can actually get it yourself. Business model-wise, it's great, but partnership-wise, it's really again about giving more to the fans and being more relatable.

SB: Sharing parts of your personality is something we’ve seen via social media and Netflix alike. You’ve always been open on these platforms about your spirit for adventure. Is this what makes you feel most like yourself outside of Formula 1?

VB: It sounds crazy, but I’m happiest off the track when I’m travelling.

SB: You might be the first driver to say that.

VB: I know – I love exploring new things in the world. It’s so big, and there’s so much to experience. I love nature. I think everybody knows how much I love cycling as well, which is how I get my nature injection when I go to the mountains or something for a ride. But really, for me, it's simple things: enjoying nature, enjoying my sauna, and good food. Stuff like that. It’s trying to disconnect from the hectic, noisy sport with a lot of people to the complete opposite. 

SB: Have you been anywhere recently in the natural world where you've had that moment of full respite, looked around, and really thought: "Wow, this is beautiful. This means something”?

VB: Just 30 minutes ago, I came back from my ride. I’m in Aspen, so the views here are beautiful – although I got caught by a hailstorm. But that's also the beauty of nature as well. It's spontaneous. Colorado is one of the places that we keep coming to. It's just stunning when it comes to landscape and nature.

SB: You’re grounded by nature, but you’re also grounded by a very good sense of humour that your fanbase is particularly receptive to. Is humour your tool to deal with the pressures of such an elite sport?

VB: I think you always need to carry a sense of humour. You know, if you stop making fun of certain things, or especially yourself, things just become a bit too serious. For me, humour is a great way to handle the pressure and keep things fun, because life should be fun. Sport should be too, of course, but it's hard work. There are the right moments for it, and of course, there are the moments when you're in the zone, and there's no joking around. But, for me, an important part of life is a good sense of humour.

SB: When was the last time someone made you laugh?

VB: Well, I’ve laughed a few times this morning already. I'm here with Tiffany [Cromwell], my partner.

SB: Without mentioning racing, where would you take someone to help them feel connected to and understand you?

VB: To Finland, where I grew up, a one-hour drive away from Helsinki. It’s kind of a small town, and then there’s the city of Lahti quite close by, but where I’m from is one of these idyllic Finnish lake sites and forests. It’s so quiet that when you get there, you kind of understand total peace. It’s nature and sauna culture.

SB: That sounds incredible.

VB: It’s why I need my nature escape.

SB: Valtteri, do you have any rituals or racing habits that you’ve never managed to shake throughout your career?

VB: It’s one thing really: coffee. I wouldn’t go into a race or qualifying without having an espresso.

SB: How soon before would you sip it?

VB: Around 30-60 minutes before, because that’s when you get the peak.

SB: I’ll try that.

VB: If you go for a run, aim for about 45 minutes before.

SB: I did try the whole spoonful of honey thing before running to give you that spike of energy – and it did make me go faster that day.

VB: But then you come back after the run and want to eat the whole jar!

SB: Guilty. What’s something that you’ve become obsessed with, or fixated on recently that people might not expect from you?

VB: I'm sure some people know it already, but winemaking and everything involved when it comes to the farming and the harvesting. I've really got into wine in detail.

SB: Do you have a favourite grape and region?

VB: Yes, South Australia, McLaren Vale specifically, and Shiraz.

SB: Before we go our separate ways, if we sat down again 12 months from now, what would you hope that we'd be talking about?

VB: I hope we will be talking about some adventures I did in the last 12 months. But the main thing would be how well we have improved as a team: how we've been able to climb up in the order, and to fight for points consistently. That we’re becoming stronger and stronger.