Cadillac has left Valtteri Bottas’ 2027 seat open, putting Colton Herta and Mercedes reserve Frederik Vesti in contention. Herta says he wants the drive, but questions remain about whether he has secured the Super License points required to race in Formula 1. Vesti strengthened his case with an impressive Mexico City practice session and has support from George Russell.

By the Numbers
  • Cadillac has 2 drivers publicly pursuing the seat: Herta and Vesti.
  • Herta said he expected to reach 40 Super License points after completing 100 kilometers in Mexico.
Yes, But

Cadillac says Herta has received his Super License, but Herta said he was unsure whether the Mexico session earned the final point he expected because of an IndyCar points-calculation issue.

State of Play
  • Bottas is under contract, but team boss Marcin Budkowski declined to confirm that the Finn has secured the seat.
  • Herta has Cadillac’s backing and has taken part in practice sessions as he prepares for a potential F1 move.
  • Vesti is Mercedes’ reserve driver and has an existing connection to Cadillac through its IMSA program.
What's Next

Cadillac still has to decide who will partner Sergio Perez in 2027. Herta’s license status and Vesti’s development and race experience could shape the choice.

Bottom Line

Bottas’ contract has not closed the door: Cadillac is keeping its options open, with Herta and Vesti making their cases for the seat.