Bottas sure of the future: “Next year I will be in F1 at 99%”

Valtteri Bottas’ future has not yet been revealed and, after the first renewals and the various changes of jersey, the seats are starting to become fewer and fewer. Yet the Finn is “99%” convinced that next year he will continue to be part of the game on the starting grid as he believes he has other options besides the possibility of remaining at Sauber, who is currently trying to convince Carlos Sainz to join. to the project that will become Audi from 2026.

Already at the end of the last championship, Bottas had underlined how the first months of 2024 would be fundamental to understand how the market would move, not only for the top-ranking teams, but also for those in the middle of the group. In recent weeks Audi has announced the hiring of Nico Hulkenberg from 2025, while just yesterday Williams confirmed the renewal of Alex Albon with a multi-year agreement.

Bottas has already started discussing with Sauber for a possible renewal, but at the moment the priority, also declared by Audi itself, is to convince Sainz to join the project, given that he would like to have two solid drivers to start the new technical cycle that will take starting in 2026.

“There are still talks going on, obviously. I don’t think the team is making any decisions very quickly, in a very short time. But of course we keep ourselves informed. Myself and the team are working on it. We’re at this point right now. So, nothing new compared to Miami, the situation is always the same,” explained the Finn during the media day in Imola, underlining that he also has other options on the table.

“When you find yourself in a situation where you are free on the market and don’t have a contract, you always look around. So, for some time now, we have been looking in different directions, not just one, because we cannot rely on just one option. That’s how it goes. The situation does not change. Various options have been discussed for some time. Some progress has been made. I don’t rely on just one option.”

For Bottas, as for other drivers, the priority is clearly to be on the grid, but the idea is also to have a secure long-term future. During his stint at Mercedes, Bottas always saw annual renewals, never having a certain future for more than one season. Only upon his arrival at Alfa Romeo Sauber in 2022 was he able to secure a multi-year contract, still valid today.

“The most important aspect is that it is a long-term agreement, because one year would not be enough for me or simply being in F1 without knowing what I will do, I need a long-term project with clear objectives, respecting what I can do and give to the team. This is the main thing. Obviously, the faster the car, the better. But the main aspect is to have this security for the years to come, so that we can work together towards the objectives we have set ourselves”, said the Finn, who also explained that he would also be tempted by a possible agreement with Mercedes for just one year, but the ideal would be to sign a contract with a team that can guarantee him a multi-year future.

Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

The market this year started very early with the announcement of Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari which, in turn, started other movements by leaving some seats free. Sauber, in the future Audi, put pressure to have the future clear in a short time, pushing to secure the services of Nico Hulkenberg, while Williams quickly closed the Alex Albon issue by offering him a deal valid in the long term. A market that started so early is almost a novelty, but it is clear that the riders want to have their future clear in the short term.

“My intention is to resolve the matter as soon as possible. For example, I wouldn’t want to wait for the summer break in August. I think it would be too late for a season like this. But there is no panic at the moment. As I said, there are ongoing discussions and we are making progress. Don’t panic, but want to resolve the situation”, added Bottas, who however assured that he will almost certainly be on the starting grid next season.

“I’m not worried about not being on the grid next year. Of course, in this sport you can never be 100% sure and at the moment I still don’t have a signed contract. So I can’t say I’ll be there 100%, but 99% yes.”