Valtteri Bottas told to ‘work in the circus with Daniel Ricciardo’

Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas has been told he needs to get his priorities in order in F1, with a pundit suggesting the Sauber driver “can work in the circus with Daniel Ricciardo.”

Swapping Mercedes for Sauber in 2022, Bottas has – literally – let his hair down.

Valtteri Bottas told ‘first drive fast, then humour’

Embracing the mullet and the moustache, the Finn has also spread his wings when it comes to his off-track pursuits which included raising money for charity with his ‘Bottass 2024’ calendar.

On Saturday he also secured his first gravel bike race victory at the FNLD GRVL.

But while he’s winning on the gravel, his results in Formula 1 are in sharp contrast with the 34-year-old yet to score a point this season.

Bottas’ place on the grid is under threat as Sauber are set to drop at least one of this year’s drivers having already signed Nico Hulkenberg on a long-term contract.

The team has not given any indication as to whether they’re leaning towards Bottas or Zhou Guanyu with speculation both could be gone come the end of the year.

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Former motor racing team boss Frans Verschuur reckons Bottas needs to get his priorities in order.

“He just has to stop, just like Perez,” the Dutchman told Ziggo Sport Race Café.

“What he is doing does not belong in Formula 1, and he drives like a newspaper.

“Do you know how many talents there are? He can work in the circus with [Daniel] Ricciardo, two clowns together. First drive fast, then humour.”

Despite Verschuur’s opinion of Bottas, the 10-time grand prix winner has been linked to Alpine, Williams and Haas, while 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve reckons he could even return to Mercedes for the F1 2025 season.

As for his side, Bottas told the media in Canada that he’s “confident” he’ll continue in Formula 1 next season.

“But,” he added, “obviously in this sport nothing is confirmed, so it’s never 100 per cent sure until you’re signed.

“But at least how I see the situation at the moment, I’m not worrying. But it should be an interesting week or two ahead for sure.

“It’s something you get used to, obviously, it’s a way more comfortable feeling if you know what is happening, but at the same time, it’s kind of exciting, a kind of certain element of unknowns.

“There could be something new and exciting on the way. That’s kind of nice. But [I] just need to live with the situation.”