Background and career
Valtteri Viktor Bottas (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈʋɑltːeri ˈbotːɑs]; born 28 August 1989) is a Finnish racing driver who competes in Formula One for Cadillac. Bottas has twice finished runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship in 2019 and 2020 with Mercedes, and has won 10 Grands Prix across 13 seasons. Born and raised in Nastola, Bottas began kart racing aged six. After studying automotive engineering and completing mandatory military service, Bottas progressed to junior formulae in 2007. He won his first championship at the Formula Renault NEC in 2008, also winning the Formula Renault Eurocup by three points to Daniel Ricciardo, both with Motopark. He then won the Masters of Formula 3 back-to-back in 2009 and 2010 with ART, before winning the GP3 Series in 2011. After two years as a test driver, Bottas signed for Williams in 2013 to partner Pastor Maldonado, making his Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix. In 2014, he finished fourth in the championship, taking his maiden career podium at the Austrian Grand Prix. Across four seasons at Williams, Bottas finished on the podium nine times. Bottas signed for Mercedes in 2017, replacing the retiring Nico Rosberg to partner Lewis Hamilton. He took his maiden pole position in Bahrain and his maiden win in Russia, finishing third in the championship following further victories in Austria and Abu Dhabi. After a winless 2018 campaign, Bottas finished runner-up to Hamilton in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He took his final win for Mercedes at the Turkish Grand Prix in 2021, leaving at the end of the season after contributing to five consecutive World Constructors' Championships. He joined Alfa Romeo in 2022, retaining his seat for his 2023 campaign. After a non-scoring 2024 season at the re-branded Sauber, Bottas returned to Mercedes as a reserve driver. He became a full-time driver again for the 2026 season, driving for Cadillac. Bottas has achieved 10 race wins, 20 pole positions, 19 fastest laps and 67 podiums in Formula One. He is the driver with the second most career points without a World Drivers' Championship (1,797).
Valtteri Viktor Bottas was born on 28 August 1989 in Nastola, Finland, to Rauno Bottas and Marianne Välimaa. His father owns a small cleaning company, and his mother is an undertaker. Bottas studied automotive engineering in a vocational school in Heinola and graduated as an auto mechanic. He completed mandatory military service in the Finnish Defence Forces Sports School in Lahti. His military rank is lance corporal.
Bottas's interest in motorsport was sparked at the age of six by a chance visit to a karting event that he had seen advertised at his local supermarket while shopping with his grandfather. His racing hero while growing up was compatriot Mika Häkkinen. Bottas finished eighth in the 2005 Karting World Cup for the P.D.B. Racing Team, using a Gillard chassis and Parilla engines.
Bottas won both the 2008 Formula Renault Eurocup and the 2008 Formula Renault Northern European Cup. In doing so, he repeated the feat of Filipe Albuquerque, who won both the NEC and Eurocup in the same season, in 2006. Bottas would have also won the 2007 Formula Renault UK Winter Series, had he been holding an MSA-registered licence for the championship. This did not stop him from competing, and he won three out of the four races in the championship.
Bottas moved up into the Formula Three Euroseries for the 2009 season, competing for reigning champions ART Grand Prix. Despite not winning a race, Bottas set two pole positions on his way to third in the championship, edging out future BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver Alexander Sims at the final race. In June 2009, Bottas won the 2009 Masters of Formula 3, also claiming the pole position and setting the fastest lap of the race. By winning the event again in 2010, he became the first driver to win the F3 Masters title for the second time. In 2011, Bottas contested the GP3 Series, remaining with F3 squad ART. After a tough start to the season, he claimed a win in each of the last four race weekends and secured the title by winning the penultimate race ahead of his teammate and future Jaguar Racing driver James Calado.
Bottas was signed as the official Formula One test driver for the Williams team in January 2010 after his first year in the Formula 3 Euro Series. Team principal Frank Williams praised Bottas's record in the junior categories and expressed his hope that the role would "provide him with another step in his development". He conducted straight-line aerodynamic testing in the team's FW32 during the year. He continued in the role for 2011 and took part in his first full test in November, driving the FW33 in the post-season young drivers' test at Yas Marina Circuit. His role was expanded in 2012 after his GP3 Series victory; he took part in fifteen Friday practice sessions, making his Grand Prix weekend debut at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
