At the end of the 2021 season, Valtteri Bottas announced that he was bringing his five-year spell at Mercedes to an end. He was a pivotal figure in guiding them to five consecutive constructors’ championship wins but wanted to move on to a new challenge after the Silver Arrows refused to offer him a multi-year contract.
Bottas moved to Alfa Romeo on a multi-year deal, and it seems like the Finn is enjoying himself at the Hinwil-based outfit. Since day one, he has been adamant about his long-term goals with Alfa Romeo and wants the team and his young teammate Zhou Guanyu to grow during his time there.
ROC Nations Cup teams don’t get any cooler than this! 🥶🥶
We are delighted to welcome @valtteribottas, who teams up with fellow #F1 ace @F1MikaHakkinen for Team Finland at #ROCSweden!
Click the link for more info and event details! pic.twitter.com/uLCtdlljm2
— #ROCSweden (@RaceOfChampions) November 2, 2022
Bottas’ Alfa Romeo project may be appealing to him, but his fellow countryman and two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen feels otherwise. Hakkinen wants to see Bottas compete for wins and podiums once again, which is why he advises him to join Red Bull!
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Valtteri Bottas joining Red Bull is possible, says Hakkinen
Bottas is currently heading into his second year with Alfa Romeo, and the 33-year-old has repeatedly stated how much he is enjoying himself. Hakkinen, however, feels that his compatriot has a lot more to prove in F1 and feels that Red Bull will be the place for him to shine.
I know Valtteri enjoys himself at Alfa Romeo, but I would prefer to see him driving at Red Bull 🇫🇮😉
But this season, I believe Valtteri can do well in Alfa Romeo – if they have fixed the issues with reliability. pic.twitter.com/ROmm7zwRDh
— Mika Häkkinen (@F1MikaHakkinen) March 3, 2023
In 2021, Bottas and Mercedes were locked in an intense battle for both championships with Red Bull. His ex-teammate Lewis Hamilton was the main protagonist in this battle along with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the two of them became heated rivals.
Now, Hakkinen wants Bottas to join Red Bull and team up with Hamilton’s rival, Verstappen. Hakkinen feels that he won’t rule out the possibility of Bottas joining a team like Red Bull in the near future and compete for race wins again.
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How will Bottas fit in at Red Bull?
Getting a Red Bull seat right now is extremely difficult for any driver. The team has stated on multiple occasions as to how happy they are with Sergio Perez as their second driver behind Verstappen. The Mexican’s contract ends in 2024, but they have Daniel Ricciardo as their third option.
Even if they don’t give an opportunity to Ricciardo, they have a horde of talented young drivers in their academy, including AlphaTauri starlets Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries. Hence, it’s safe to say that Bottas joining Red Bull seems like a distant possibility.
