Formula 1 | Valtteri Bottas told his plan – plans to speed up the Audi bosses' speeches

Formula driver Valtteri Bottas plans to open contract negotiations soon to secure the future of his F1 career. Bottas, 34, has revealed his plans For Autosport magazine.

Bottas wants to secure his F1 career for the 2026 season and beyond. Therefore, he wants to start contract negotiations with the German brand Audi already at the beginning of the current F1 season.

Audi is set to take over Bottas' current team Sauber completely in 2026. Sauber will become Audi's factory team in the F1 series, and the well-known German brand's investment in the royalty of motorsport is a tough one.

The Italian brand Alfa Romeo left Sauber's background after the last F1 season.

Bottas' current contract with Sauber expires after the current year.

Bottas stated to Autosport that he has probably also earned a place for Audi for 2026, if the extension contract for Sauber is created for 2025. Bottas therefore implies that a possible extension contract for Sauber for the 2025 season would be linked to his possible Audi contract from 2026.

Bottas assured Autosport of his hunger for success and stated that Audi's F1 project would be an opportunity for him to get back into the fight for podium places.

Bottas revealed that he has not yet discussed his dreams with Audi representatives. However, Bottas stated that getting to Audi is at the top of his goal list.

“I have understood that they (Audi) will make decisions for the coming years (about drivers) at the beginning of this year. I will have those discussions in the first quarter of this year,” Bottas told Autosport.

Bottas plans to continue his career in 2026 and even longer, even if the contract negotiations with Audi fail. Bottas plans to look for a driver's place in other F1 teams if Audi doesn't care about him for one reason or another.

“I want to stay in F1 circles because I still have some unfinished business in this sport,” Bottas said, apparently referring to achieving the world championship and top success in general.

For Bottas a total of ten GP wins in F1 have been recorded. He fueled those wins with Mercedes-Benz F1 drives before switching to Sauber.

Last year, Bottas finished 15th in the points table of the F1 series.