Rally, IndyCar, Supercars… Bottas opens up about his future in motorsport

In 2025 there will be no Valtteri Bottas on the grid Formula 1. After 12 seasons, the Finn finds himself on the sidelines and without a steering wheel… but he will not be absent from the paddocks, since he will return to Mercedes as the Silver Arrows' reserve driver. However, even though he will be following the German team throughout the season over the 24 events, the ten-time Grand Prix winner wants to keep busy and flourish beyond Formula 1 and his role as a reserve driver.

In an interview with RacingNews365, Valtteri Bottas spoke about his future and his plans for 2025. "I will have the opportunity to do other things too, yes, confirms the Finn. The next step is the Race of Champions. It's in Sydney this year. (…) But no, I don't have a clear vision of the events yet, but it's something I have to start planning.

Among the main desires of the Nordic pilot, the rally is at the top of the Finn's wish list. Valtteri Bottas has already participated in a few rallies between 2019 and 2021, in Finland but also in France. In 2019, he participated (and won) in the Rallycircuit Côte d'Azur, which took place on the Paul-Ricard circuit, aboard a Citroën DS3. He also took part in the Arctic Lapland Rally three times. “Mainly for fun and to stay fit, [I would like to do] rallying again. I haven’t been allowed to do rallying for the last three years. It’s something I did a bit before and really enjoyed. It’s mainly for fun and to stay focused.”, says the man with 246 Grand Prix wins.

Australia or the United States, the options up to by Bottas

Besides rallying, Valtteri Bottas – Finnish by nature but Australian at heart – has said he would like to try other, more exotic categories… like Australian Supercars, of course. "I'm also very open to other categories. I've always wanted to try Supercars, to see how it goes.", concedes the former Sauber driver, who also leaves the door open to exile in the United States. "Right now I'm thinking that if Formula 1 doesn't happen for whatever reason, I'll probably turn toIndyCar. So it's also something that would be interesting to try, at least for testing. Whether it's an IndyCar race or a test, it's something very interesting., he adds, while ensuring that Formula 1 remains his priority. [2026] is far away but it will come quickly, so my next moves will be related to 2026 and [I am] planning it now."

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