Valtteri Bottas was seen chatting with a Cadillac representative, Formula 1's incoming 2026 team, in the Melbourne paddock.
The 35-year-old Finn isn't ready to abandon his F1 career, taking up a role as Mercedes' full-time reserve after being dropped by Sauber.
He's also been addressing perceptions tied to his laid-back persona, following comments from former long-term sponsor Antti Aarnio-Wihuri, who recently said: "I do wonder about a person whose entire career depended on us and then he just stops all contact.
"We even arranged for him to join Mercedes. He would never have gotten there without us," the billionaire added.
Bottas responded to the remarks in Melbourne.
"It was a bit of a strange feeling because I think I've always been grateful," he told Viaplay. "I wouldn't be at this point without the partners who have helped me throughout my career.
"I've been pretty busy, and I haven't seen Antti in a few years. I'll have to stop by for a coffee next time."
As for Cadillac, potentially Bottas' strongest shot at a 2026 race seat, paddock murmurs suggest the GM-supported team shelled out a hefty $450m 'anti-dilution' fee to appease F1's current ten teams.
"What happened is now behind us," said Williams boss James Vowles, a frequent sceptic of Cadillac or Andretti joining the grid, at Albert Park.
"To be really clear, the key difference compared to Andretti is that GM and Cadillac are major brands that bring with them huge amounts of accolades, and I think they will put the sport in a better place, attracting more sponsorship.
"The biggest impact will be in the job market," Vowles continued. "GM is doing a great job of attracting talent, and that's probably a bigger issue than anything else."
