Bottas "confident" not to miss the cut for F1 2025 spot

18/06/2024

Valtteri Bottas says he is "confident" he will find a seat for the 2025 Formula 1 season, with a decision expected in the coming weeks.

The 2025 driver market is now largely dictated by Ferrari exile Carlos Sainz, who has to make a decision between accepting a long-standing offer from Sauber, which will become Audi in 2026, or joining Williams instead.

With Sainz the most high-profile free agent left to announce a deal, his stalling over a decision also has an impact on some of his colleagues, not in the least Sauber's incumbent duo Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

It looks clear that neither driver is expecting to stay at Sauber/Audi for 2025, although there remains an outside chance Bottas could stay in team if CEO Andreas Seidl doesn't land his main target Sainz.

At Williams, Bottas is similarly known to be a back-up option to Sainz, who has been heavily courted by team principal James Vowles, while the Finn also has been in talks with Alpine and Haas.

But as time drags on and some of the aforementioned teams are poised to pull the trigger rather than keep waiting and missing out on the best options altogether, Bottas similarly realises he will need to act soon to avoid missing the cut.

Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

"I think I need to make my choice quickly," Bottas acknowledged in Canada.

"Nothing has been signed yet from my side, but I'm still working with all the options and need to make a move soon.

"[Audi] is willing to wait for a long time. But I can't forever, so this team is definitely still an option but I don't think I have the time to wait for too long, so that's why I want to speed things up."

Asked by Motorsport.com if there was a chance he would end up on the sidelines, he replied: "I'm confident I'm going to get a seat, but obviously in this sport nothing is confirmed so it’s never 100% sure until you are signed.

"But how I see the situation at the moment I'm not worrying. It should be an interesting week or two ahead for sure."

Bottas says his string of late one-year contract renewals at Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton has made it easier for him to handle the uncertainty.

Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber C44

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

"It's something you get used to," he explained. "Obviously it's a way more comfortable feeling if you know what is happening, but at the same time the element that there could be something new and exciting on the way, that's kind of nice.

"If you look at my past when I've been normally confirmed at certain teams, this is still very early in terms of the season. So if you can do things before the August break that's already a good thing."

Zhou also believes he could still find a place for next year, fighting for the same spots at Haas and Alpine as his more experienced team-mate.

"I think all the seats are still available," he said. "We're in discussion about my future, but nothing's been confirmed.

"I feel like there should be a spot for me in the future on this grid, but I just don't know where.

"I don't really want to be a reserve and take a year off in because Formula 1, when you take a year off, it's difficult to come back."

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