Bottas responds as Cadillac F1 relocation plans branded ‘suboptimal’

As Cadillac F1 ramps up its facilities in the United States, its plan was called “suboptimal” by fellow American Otmar Szafnauer.

Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas does not share the same view. The Finn believes that his team will enjoy the best of both worlds by increasingly splitting its operations between the United Kingdom and United States in the future.

Valtteri Bottas defends Cadillac F1 relocation plans

Cadillac, aving arrived on the F1 2026 grid as a brand-new team, Cadillac created a base at Silverstone for its key manufacturing and logistics planning.

But a new manufacturing facility is being constructed in Indianapolis. It will also house the windtunnel and Dynisma simulator.

Meanwhile, the General Motors power unit project is to be housed at a facility under construction in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Cadillac F1 team principal Marcin Budkowski was quizzed about the planned shift, as well as rumours of staff being given an ultimatum to relocate to the US or look for another job.

He told “anybody who has doubts” about its Silverstone presence as a “temporary facility” to “come and visit because it’s quite impressive.”

He added: “We are effectively building some facilities in the US as well. We will progressively develop a footprint in the US, whether that’s through manufacturing capability or others, which I’m not discussing here in detail.

“But, at the moment, all the rumours that the team will move there shortly, etc., are totally unfounded. And again, anyone who has doubts about this should come and visit us in Silverstone because we’ve built a really impressive facility there.”

According to Otmar Szafnauer, the former Aston Martin and Alpine F1 team boss, Cadillac increasingly splitting itself across the UK and US is “suboptimal” if winning championships are the goal.

Szafnauer told the High Performance Racing podcast that he had said this to the face of Cadillac executive engineering consultant Pat Symonds.

Bottas does not believe that the strategy would hinder Cadillac at all, quite the opposite.

“There’s a reason why the team is doing that,” he told PlanetF1.com and others in Baku.

“I don’t think we would do anything that built a structure that we think is a weakness. So obviously, we don’t think it is a weakness.

“We think there’s a strength on the US-based production. There’s lots of knowledge about motorsports at GM, from different categories. I’m sure we can get lots of support.

“And how it’s going to be structured with the PU factory being in the future in the US, we think it’s the ideal setup to get the best of both worlds: the current existing Formula 1 world in the UK, and then some fresh views from the US.

“So yeah, like I said, we don’t think it’s a weakness.

“But, time will show.”

More on Cadillac from PlanetF1.com

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Bottas has visited the new Cadillac facility being constructed in Indianapolis.

“Really impressive,” he said of it. “I was positively surprised.”

So impressed was Bottas that he claimed, in terms of facilities, Cadillac will be at no disadvantage.

Success, therefore, will be solely down to the people.

“I think the layout is the main thing,” Bottas continued. “It’s really, really nice that everyone is together. It’s really well thought, how the layout is done.

“Definitely for us, it’s not about the facilities anymore. It’s about the people and how well we can design and build a good race car and how well we can operate at races. Everything is pretty well set up now to be successful, but in this sport, it will take a bit of time.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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