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Valtteri Bottas has revealed that a Cadillac supplied by his new F1 team was stolen from the driveway of the Airbnb where he was staying during the Miami Grand Prix weekend — and the vehicle contained his paddock pass. The theft prompted an FBI inquiry and has raised fresh questions about access and security around high-profile race weekends.
How the theft unfolded
Bottas told colleagues he had been based in a quieter area of Fort Lauderdale rather than the bustle of Miami, but the weekend took an unexpected turn. According to his account, the team Escalade was parked at the property with the keys kept inside the house.
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FBI investigating Bottas’ stolen Cadillac after Miami GP
He described waking shortly before leaving for the track to discover his personal assistant trying to reach him — and the SUV gone. With the vehicle missing and the paddock pass inside it, Bottas scrambled for alternate transport; the team supplied a replacement Escalade and he still made it to the circuit.
The stolen car was later recovered abandoned in a higher-crime neighbourhood. Authorities, including the FBI, opened an investigation because an official pass that could allow access to restricted paddock areas had been inside the vehicle.
Immediate consequences and context
There is no indication the theft was an attempt specifically to breach team security; Bottas himself suggested the vehicle may have been used in an opportunistic crime and then discarded. Still, the incident underlines a potential vulnerability when credentials are left unattended.
- Vehicle: Team-provided Cadillac Escalade stolen from Airbnb driveway.
- Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; used as a base for the Miami GP weekend.
- Security risk: Paddock pass was inside the car, prompting an FBI investigation.
- Outcome: Replacement transport arranged; car later found abandoned; investigation ongoing.
For teams and drivers, the episode is a reminder that logistics around race weekends carry security implications. Credential control is core to event safety: an unattended pass or vehicle can, in theory, grant unauthorised access or be misused as part of other criminal activity.
From a fan perspective, the incident is unlikely to have affected trackside operations, but it may lead organisers and teams to review guidance on how drivers and staff secure passes and team vehicles when off-site.
Bottas downplayed the drama in tone, joking that whoever took the car had every opportunity to enjoy VIP parking — but organisers and teams will be less amused as officials complete their inquiries and assess whether procedural changes are required ahead of future events.
