With the 2024 System 1 season winding down, there are a couple of small issues of enterprise left to be determined relating to the 2025 driver grid.
A kind of seats? The second spot at Sauber alongside Nico Hülkenberg. Whereas the group has already confirmed Nico Hülkenberg shall be in a type of seats — giving the group a German driver forward to the group turning into the Audi works operation in 2026 — the second seat continues to be but to be confirmed.
Valtteri Bottas, the veteran driver presently driving for the group alongside Zhou Guanyu, stays one of many drivers in rivalry for that spot. However with Bottas and Sauber but to attain some extent this season, and younger Franco Colapinto performing nicely after becoming a member of the grid midseason with Williams, there’s a probability that Bottas may very well be left on the skin wanting in.
Talking with the media forward of this weekend’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, Bottas conceded {that a} return to Mercedes, as a reserve driver, is likely to be a backup plan for him.
“Firstly, the precedence is to remain as a race driver, that’s what I need, and that’s what I’m pushing for with Mattia [Binotto, the recently-named CEO at Audi],” stated Bottas to the official F1 channel in Mexico Metropolis. “However, in fact, as I don’t have something signed – we’re in October – I’ve acquired to take a look at all of the alternate options together with going again to the Mercedes household. That’s for certain one possibility and I might contemplate it.”
Bottas additionally indicated that he was in virtually “every day” contact with Binotto relating to each a possible contract, in addition to technical stuff with the group’s automotive, and the ball is in Sauber’s court docket.
“We’re in an virtually every day foundation, protecting in contact with Mattia – generally about technical stuff, generally in regards to the future,” added Bottas. “We’ve fairly nicely agreed every little thing by way of the phrases and stuff like that. Now it’s simply, the ball is of their camp so I’ll maintain ready and doing my job.”
Forward of final week’s United States Grand Prix Bottas advised SB Nation in an unique interview that when there may be information, we are going to hear information.
“Folks can count on information when there may be some information,” shared Bottas forward of the US Grand Prix. “Clearly, I’ve been in discussions with the group for a very long time. We’re looking for the best settlement. So yeah, nonetheless nothing to announce this weekend for certain. Nonetheless engaged on it. However, yeah, all the time making progress and I’m all the time staying optimistic.
“So finally, we’ll all know.”
