Valtteri Bottas, a 10-time Formula 1 race winner during his stint with Mercedes, finds himself in a precarious position as he awaits a decision about his future at Sauber (soon to become the Audi factory team). Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, the 35-year-old Finn expressed his frustration, revealing that he’s still in the dark about his prospects for 2025.
Bottas, who joined the Swiss-based Sauber after his successful tenure at Mercedes, had hoped a decision would have been made by now but is left playing the waiting game.
“There’s nothing I can do at the moment, it’s not in my hands,” Bottas admitted. “I’m trying to perform the best I can this weekend and hope that will boost things up.”
Sauber, on the brink of transforming into Audi’s official F1 team by 2026, faces a pivotal choice: stick with experience or gamble on youth. The team has already secured German veteran Nico Hulkenberg from Haas, leaving one seat to fill. Bottas, the incumbent, is up against a wave of younger contenders, including Mick Schumacher, current F2 leader Gabriel Bortoleto, and promising talent Franco Colapinto.
Despite the uncertainty, Bottas remains confident he’s the right fit for the job. “I know the terms that I’m up for and just basically waiting for the green light. I will stay positive because I really feel and believe that I should be in that seat. I feel like I would be best for the interest of the team.”
However, showing his worth to a wider audience has proven difficult this season. Sauber is the only team yet to score a point in 2024, making it challenging for Bottas to stand out. “I don’t want the headline ‘frustrated,’ that’s a hard word, but it’s tough,” he admitted. “If you don’t have the car, it’s really difficult to show what you can do. And also for people making decisions in a big company, they tend to look at the results. It’s not at the moment easy to shine, let’s say.”
Bottas is putting his trust in Mattia Binotto, the former Ferrari team principal who took over as Sauber’s boss in August. Binotto, who inherited the decision to sign Hulkenberg, faces the challenge of steering the team into its Audi era.
“I’ve just got to trust Mattia. He knows what he will get from me,” Bottas added, emphasizing his belief that his experience and proven track record should make him the clear choice.
With Sauber’s—and Audi’s—future ambitions hanging in the balance, the decision on Bottas’s fate could mark a significant turning point not just for the team, but for the Finn’s F1 career.
