Cadillac to investigate high-speed Mexico GP failure that led to angry Valtteri Bottas reaction

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Cadillac to investigate high-speed Mexico GP failure that led to angry Valtteri Bottas reaction

Ewan Gale · Motorsport

Mon, November 2, 2026 at 5:30 PM UTC ·

8 min read

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Cadillac Formula 1 team principal Marcin Budkowski has vowed to ensure accidents like the one that ended Valtteri Bottas' Mexico Grand Prix "do not happen again".

Bottas was at top speed entering Turn 1 on lap 46 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rogriguez when his front-left suspension collapsed as he hit the brakes, sending the Finn into a slide and into the TecPro barrier.

Such was the damage caused, the former F1 race winner remained in his MAC-26 while he regained his breath and a red flag was thrown to suspend the race while marshals began repairing the barriers.

In team radio that has since been posted on social media, Bottas - clearly agitated - repeatedly shouts expletives before being asked by race engineer John Howard if he was ok. "F**k no," was the response of the former Williams , Mercedes , and Alfa Romeo driver.

After a trip to the medical centre, where he was given the all-clear, Bottas was excused from media duties. But in Cadillac's post-race media debrief, he explained: "It was a big impact going into Turn 1, but thankfully I'm OK.

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

"Thank you to the medical team for checking me over and to everyone who helped at the scene. It is a testament to the hard work the FIA has put in over many years to make our sport as safe as possible.

"We need to work through everything thoroughly as a team to understand exactly what happened, and make sure we learn from it. We had a strong opening lap and made up some places, so it's disappointing not to finish another race. We'll regroup now and focus on continuing to make progress in Sao Paulo next week."

Bottas and team-mate Sergio Perez have suffered from numerous reliability failures across Cadillac's maiden F1 campaign, albeit they have been far less dangerous, with both drivers able to either pull into the pit garage to retire or stop on track.

Pointing to the severity of this issue in the same debrief, however, Budkowski said: "Everyone is relieved that Valtteri is OK after the incident on lap 46. We will fully investigate the cause of this failure and ensure such accidents do not happen again."

Perez racks up 300 F1 races with positive showing

On the other side of the garage, Perez put on a promising display for the team in front of his home crowd as he notched up his 300th race start in F1.

The Mexican had made his way up to 13th in the opening stages on merit and was able to hold off those behind him, though a slow pitstop and a later pitlane speeding penalty - attributed to a software issue - ultimately derailed what had been a strong showing.

"Taking the positives, it was our most competitive weekend in terms of relative pace and very encouraging to see both drivers fighting in the pack," insisted Budkowski.

Dan Towriss, Cadillac Racing, Marcin Budkowski, Cadillac Racing

"They both had great starts, especially Checo, who had phenomenal first laps after both starts and was running up into P13 at one stage. We had some equipment issues in both pitstops which cost both drivers time and positions on track.

"Congratulations to Checo on his historic 300th Grand Prix start - it has been such a memorable week for him and the whole team at his home race."

Photos from F1 Mexican GP - Sunday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Performers at the drivers parade

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Performers

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1 Team, Laura Mueller, Haas F1 Team

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Adrian Newey, Team Principal of Aston Martin F1 Team

Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images

Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

A fan waves the Mexican flag

Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Clive Mason - Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Yuri Cortez / AFP via Getty Images

George Russell, Mercedes

Manuel Eletto / Getty Images

Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1 Team

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lando Norris, McLaren

Manuel Eletto / Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Michael Potts / LAT images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Michael Potts / LAT images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Alexander Albon, Williams, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Manuel Eletto / Getty Images

Oscar Piastri, McLaren; Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing crash

Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Safety car

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari; Lando Norris, McLaren; George Russell, Mercedes

Colin McMaster / LAT Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes

Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Mark Thompson / Getty Images

George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Michael Potts / LAT images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alex Bierens de Haan / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Manuel Eletto / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Manuel Eletto / Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

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