Valtteri Bottas will soon find himself out of a race seat on the 2025 F1 grid as Sauber (soon to become Audi’s works team) recently decided to sign McLaren junior Gabriel Bortoleto on a multi-year contract, effectively shutting the door on Bottas. This marks a significant change for the Finnish driver, who was undergoing lengthy negotiations with the team to keep racing for them.
Now, Bottas is facing the prospect of losing a key part of his life that he loves so dearly: driving an F1 racecar. In a recent interview, Bottas was asked about the things that bring him joy and he responded by naming five things. “Very simple one when I wake up in the morning that first sip of coffee that you make for yourself, it’s a beautiful moment,” he remarked.
Bottas added that he also cherishes his family, and his partner, as well as his health which gives him the freedom to ride his bike, travel, and, importantly, to drive his race car. “In the end, I love Sauna, like heating up the sauna it’s like so nice man,” he added.
After three years at @stakef1team_ks we decided to part ways. I want to take this opportunity to thank each & everyone in the team, everyone I’ve worked with, and especially you guys out there for the support then, now and in the future
Looking forward for what’s to come!… pic.twitter.com/TBe6afRp36
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) November 6, 2024
At the moment, there’s potentially only one seat open on the 2025 grid, and that’s at Red Bull Racing, where the team is evaluating potential replacements for Sergio Perez. However, it’s almost certain that Red Bull’s choice will not be Bottas as they are keen on promoting their junior driver, Liam Lawson, who has been impressive so far in 2024.
However, they have also recently shown some interest in the Williams driver Franco Colapinto, who is also a free agent for the 2025 season. This makes Bottas’ return to a full-time seat in F1 unlikely for 2025. But there may still be an opportunity for Bottas to stay in the paddock, just in a different role.
Bottas could join Mercedes in a new role
Bottas had previously said that he would consider a reserve driver position at Mercedes if his future with Sauber didn’t pan out as expected. Recently, Mercedes hinted at this possibility on X (formerly Twitter) by replying to a fan with a photo of Bottas as shared by @f1gossippofficial on Instagram, adding fuel to rumors that they might want him back.
View this post on Instagram
This move makes sense for Mercedes, especially since Lewis Hamilton will be leaving for Ferrari in 2025. Hamilton’s departure means Mercedes will need an experienced driver like Bottas to support the development of their 2025 challenger alongside George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
