Bottas assures: he will "very probably" be in Formula 1 in 2025

Valtteri Bottas is engaged in a three-way fight for the second Sauber seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg, in 2025. Facing the Finnish “veteran”, Two young shoots are ready to steal his place : Theo Pourchaire and Gabriel Bortoleto. One seat for three candidates: the Swiss team, now under the Audi flag before the official arrival of the German manufacturer in 2026, will have to make an essential choice for its future: bet on youth in order to build a project around a driver, or play it safe by keeping an experienced driver capable of making the team progress more quickly.

On the Finnish driver's side, however, confidence is there. On the sidelines of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas said he was not spending much time thinking about the alternative options available to him if he is not retained by Sauber next year. The ten-time Grand Prix winner believes he will be in Formula 1 in 2025… while admitting to having an emergency exit in mind.

"I don't think there's any need to think about it too much now., said the number 77 in the mixed zone on Thursday. I think for me it is very clear where I want to be and where I will most likely be, which is Formula 1. If not Formula 1, I will definitely do some racing. Plan B would beIndyCar to try to win the championship in a number of years. But I don't think that's the case yet."

Bottas evasive on Binotto talks

A confidence that intrigues and questions: is Valtteri Bottas therefore on pole at Sauber to keep his seat? Or, on the contrary, is he trying to put pressure on the Swiss team in order to accelerate the process and assert himself as the number 1 choice, while Gabriel Bortoleto currently seems to be holding the rope ? In Baku, on a circuit where he has already won once in 2019, the Finn preferred not to dwell too much on the question of his future in the discipline, simply mentioning ongoing discussions with his boss, Mattia Binotto.

“The race weekend alone is a huge burden, both mentally and physically, and yes, there is always the contract situation, which is an added stress, let’s say… but things are progressing., summed up the Sauber driver. We are still in almost daily contact with Mattia [Binotto], to know what each party wants. That's about it. I am still positive, but now again it is time to focus on the weekend rather than the contract."

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