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Valtteri Bottas insists Cadillac must "manage expectations" and "be realistic" during its debut F1 season in 2026.

Cadillac is joining grand prix racing as an 11th team in 2026, the first new team since Haas in 2016, and will be powered by a customer Ferrari engine deal with Bottas being paired in an uber-experienced line-up with Sergio Perez.

Both drivers are returning to the grid after a year away from racing in 2025, with former Marussia team boss Graeme Lowdon serving as team principal for the project, with former Benetton, Renault, Williams and F1 engineering chief Pat Symonds on board as an executive engineering advisor.

To further add complications for Cadillac, is the fact that the 2026 season will feature a radical overhaul in the technical regulations.

Given the scale of the project, Bottas has been reassured that there have been "no hiccups" but warned that the team's expectations to start with must be realistic.

"I think exciting is the right word, and what gives me confidence for now is that everything still seems to be on plan, on schedule. There's been no big hiccups, but it's going to be hard starting everything from nothing," Bottas exclusively told RacingNews365.

"There's a lot about managing expectation, especially for the first season, but especially kind of the first quarter. We need to be realistic. It is going to take time, but I'm prepared for that.

"I can't have super expectations to start with, so I think it is better to go in with lower expectations first, and it is more about figuring out where we are, but the most important thing is where we end up, and how quickly."

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Bottas and Mercedes

One complication for Bottas is that he has been unable to fully commit to the Cadillac project, as he is currently still serving as the Mercedes reserve driver, something he called a "unique situation" as he described the workarounds in place.

"I mean, if I could, I probably would do more stuff with the team, because there is a lot to prepare, but the key meetings and the key information I can give at this stage, we've had those conversations," he added.

"I can still do online meetings, and they have my steering traces from the past, the assistance levels and the ratios and things which are not a secret.

"I've been to the Silverstone facilities already, we're already in touch, but I am not involved as much as Checo because I can't be; I'm here, but it is just what it is.

"It is a unique situation for sure, but the priority is here, Mercedes is still my employer, and I've got to be ready for each weekend, just in case. But when I have free time, of course, I am going to try and use it wisely, which is working for the future."

But what about working with Perez - his opposite number at Red Bull during his final two Mercedes years?

So far, it's so good as far as Bottas is concerned.

"We spent the announcement day together in New York, and he seems like an easy guy to work with," reflected Bottas.

"He's very calm, he's also excited to get back in, and as a pair, I think it just makes sense because we can really work together for the team, we'll put the team first instead of focusing on each other, so it makes sense."