With the final seat at Sauber still unconfirmed and two rookies vying for the opportunity, should Valtteri Bottas reconsider his future in F1?
The 2025 F1 grid is taking shape, with one seat still open at Sauber. The team is actively evaluating three candidates: Valtteri Bottas for a contract extension, Franco Colapinto, who recently replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams, and Gabriel Bortoleto. With Colapinto proving his potential just two races into his debut, should Valtteri Bottas reconsider his future in F1?
🚨 | Sauber are understood to be evaluating three main candidates ahead of 2025:
– Valtteri Bottas
– Franco Colapinto
– Gabriel BortoletoAs it stands, it is unclear who they will sign.
— formularacers (@formularacers_) September 23, 2024
Junior Career
Bottas entered junior formulae in 2007 and quickly made his mark by winning his first championships in the 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup and the 2008 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 with Motopark Academy.
He continued to impress, claiming back-to-back victories at the Masters of Formula 3 in 2009 and 2010 with ART Grand Prix, before winning the GP3 Series title in 2011, again with ART.
Williams
In January 2010, Bottas became the official Formula One test driver for Williams. After two years in that role, he made his debut as a full-time race driver alongside Pastor Maldonado for the 2013 season.
Despite the challenges that year, Bottas qualified third at the Canadian Grand Prix, behind Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton – the first time a Williams car had qualified in the top ten that season. Though he finished P14 due to a lack of pace, the moment is still remembered for showcasing his talent.
During his four-year stint at Williams, Bottas claimed nine podiums despite the team’s struggles. His standout year came in 2014, when he finished fourth in the World Drivers’ Championship, ahead of world champions Vettel and Fernando Alonso. That season, he earned six podium finishes and scored 186 points, compared to teammate Felipe Massa’s 134. Williams secured third in the World Constructors’ Championship, their best result since 2003.
His success ultimately earned him a move to Mercedes, a team that often looks to Williams for driver talent.
Mercedes
Bottas joined Mercedes in 2017, replacing the retiring Nico Rosberg. His partnership with Lewis Hamilton is regarded as one of the greatest in F1 history, contributing to five consecutive Constructors’ Championship victories. Aside from Hamilton, no current driver on the grid has been part of more championship-winning campaigns.
In 2017, Bottas secured his maiden pole position in Bahrain and claimed his first career win in Russia, finishing third in the championship after additional victories in Austria and Abu Dhabi.
After a winless 2018, he finished runner-up to Hamilton in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons. His final win for Mercedes came at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix before he left the team. He was replaced by George Russell from Williams.
Win in Turkey 🏆#VB77 #F1 #TurkishGP@MercedesAMGF1 @F1 pic.twitter.com/U6SdPSLA0u
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) October 10, 2021
Reflecting on his time at Mercedes, Bottas said, “I want to be able to say that I squeezed every drop out of this opportunity and left nothing on the table.” He added that it had been a “privilege and a great sporting challenge” to work alongside Hamilton. Team principal Toto Wolff also commended Bottas for his significant contribution to the team’s championship success.
It is this valuable experience that rightfully deems him a worthy racer.
Sauber
In 2022, Bottas joined Alfa Romeo on a multi-year deal. The Finnish driver felt he had a responsibility to guide the team to success, ending the season 10th in the Drivers’ Championship. He scored 49 points to teammate Zhou Guanyu’s six points. This helped the team achieve sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship, which was their best result since 2012.
2023 was a slow year for the team after Bottas scored ten points to Zhou’s six. The team finished ninth in the Constructors’ and the Finnish driver stated that the season was a “tough ride” due to a lack of progress on an upward trajectory.
The Italian team re-branded as Sauber in 2024. So far, neither Bottas nor his teammate Guanyu have scored any points or reached Q3 in a Qualifying session.
With Audi set to enter F1 for the first time in 2026, expectations are high. The brand’s motorsport history, including victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, shows their ambition. Audi aims to establish itself as a leading F1 team alongside the likes of McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes. With this, they want the best of the best.
His Future
Speaking to The Athletic in 2023, Bottas shared:
“It is tough fighting at the back sometimes.
“When you’re almost fighting P-Last, it’s painful. I just try to think things will get better, and if I put in the effort, hopefully we’ll get out of it.
“For me, being a part of a manufacturer now is the next goal. That will hopefully give me a chance to get back up there.”
In similar vain, before the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend, Bottas made further bold claims. When asked by F1-related media, including PlanetF1, if he was driving as well in the 2024 season as he was when he was with Mercedes, he replied:
“I feel like yes, especially qualifying this year. I haven’t felt any signs of being worse.
“If anything, you keep getting better with experience, you gain more consistency, more confidence. You can solve different issues in a different way and you can adapt to the car the more time you spend in the sport.
“So I feel, actually, I’m driving better than what I did at Mercedes. But obviously it’s not that visible.”
This is another factor that could sway Sauber his way for 2025. He would then have the entire season to prove himself to Audi for their second seat alongside the already-confirmed Nico Hülkenberg.
Conclusion
As of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Bottas has achieved 10 race wins. He also has 20 pole positions, 19 fastest laps, and 67 podiums in F1. He holds the record for the most career points scored without a World Championship (1,797).
However, given his recent lack of performance at Sauber, does Valtteri Bottas have a future in F1? While his experience surpasses that of Colapinto and Bortoleto, it might be time for drivers nearing the end of their careers to step aside for the next generation.
Much like Ricciardo at Red Bull, who is likely to be replaced by Liam Lawson, the new era of Formula One is already arriving. Drivers at underperforming teams, affected by factors such as car development, funding, and age, could find better opportunities elsewhere.
If Bottas does stay for the 2025 season, it will likely only be a one-year contract extension. Given Sauber’s struggles, will this be enough to sway Audi to his side? He certainly hopes so.
