Ralf Schumacher believes Cadillac should replace Valtteri Bottas with Esteban Ocon, arguing that the Frenchman would be a better option for the American team. The former F1 driver made his position clear while discussing Cadillac's first season in the championship, although he stressed that his criticism of Bottas was strictly related to his performances on track.
Bottas returned to Formula 1 with Cadillac in 2026 after spending a year without a race seat, joining fellow comeback driver Sergio Perez. Both arrived with considerable experience, but the American outfit has struggled to compete with the established teams during its debut campaign.
Schumacher wants Cadillac to replace Bottas with Ocon
Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher identified Haas driver Esteban Ocon as the man he would like to see Cadillac bring into its line-up: "I would definitely take Ocon immediately."
The German was careful to distinguish his opinion of Bottas as a driver from his feelings towards him personally. He described the Finn as "totally likeable" and stressed that his comments should "please not be taken personally".
Nevertheless, Schumacher believes Cadillac would be better served by making a change. "But from a purely sporting point of view," he explained, before suggesting that Bottas should "get on your bike and enjoy your life".
Photo: Race Pictures
The remark also brought to mind Bottas's recent cycling trip from Malaysia to Singapore, which he documented on social media. Cycling has become a major part of the Finn's life away from Formula 1, and Schumacher's comments suggested that he might be better off concentrating on his interests outside racing.
Ocon, meanwhile, is currently racing for Haas but does not have a seat confirmed for the 2027 season. The Frenchman continued competing in Formula 1 throughout 2025, unlike Bottas, who spent the year on the sidelines before returning with Cadillac.
How Bottas and Perez have performed at Cadillac in 2026
Cadillac opted for experience when selecting its first Formula 1 driver pairing. Bottas arrived with ten Grand Prix victories from his time at Mercedes, while Perez brought six wins and several seasons of experience alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
However, neither driver has managed to score a point for the team so far in 2026. Cadillac has spent much of its debut campaign towards the back of the field, with both drivers regularly fighting outside the top ten.
Bottas recorded one of the team's strongest results with 13th place at the Chinese Grand Prix, although his season has also been disrupted by retirements and reliability problems.
Perez has similarly struggled to break into the points. The Mexican came close in Monaco, where he crossed the line in tenth place before a ten-second penalty dropped him out of the points-paying positions.
Despite neither driver managing to score a point so far, Perez has generally had the upper hand in the intra-team battle, regularly finishing ahead of Bottas. The Mexican has often proved the stronger of the two on race weekends, although Cadillac's lack of competitiveness has prevented either driver from challenging consistently for points.