Valtteri Bottas is currently in negotiations with Alpine, as the French team explore their options for next year. As revealed by Toto Wolff in a recent interview, Bottas is receiving steadily growing interest from the Enstone squad.
Bottas on Alpine’s radar as Colapinto remains under scrutiny
It was only a few weeks ago that reports first circulated about contact between Alpine and Bottas.
These parties were hardly discussed as a potential partnership until very recently – even amidst the chaos of last year’s driver market.
Bottas was never mentioned as an option for the French team when they replaced Ocon at the end of 2024, with other names mentioned as under consideration instead.
Even when Ocon’s replacement, Jack Doohan, lost his seat, there was no surprise when Franco Colapinto took his place.
Having spent a significant fee to sign Colapinto from Williams, the consensus only a few months ago was that he was an important part of Alpine’s long-term plans.
However, the situation at Flavio Briatore’s team appears to have changed quite drastically.
Briatore has voiced his frustration with Colapinto on multiple occasions since the Argentine became a full-time driver.
The 74-year-old has been particularly critical of the Argentine’s crashes – with his tally increasing in Silverstone after spinning in qualifying.
Although Colapinto was unlucky in the British GP itself, suffering a mechanical failure before the race began, this is unlikely to change Briatore’s verdict of his F1 return.
Whilst Bottas is far from guaranteed to join Alpine, there is evidently some level of interest.
The 10-time race winner is an experienced pair of hands that could be relied upon to deliver consistent results.
Alpine’s A525 is arguably the slowest car on the grid, so points will be difficult for whoever occupies one of the Alpine seats.
However, this does not change Flavio Briatore’s high expectations for his drivers.
Briatore consistently focuses on driver performance and team operational errors – rather than the A525’s raw performance – when reflecting on results from a race weekend.
Pierre Gasly’s P6 in Silverstone will further validate his belief that Colapinto should be getting better results, irrespective of his machinery.
Wolff reveals Bottas interest
With Alpine currently last in the Championship, they are on course for their worst season in F1 history.
This is obviously a situation the team will want to avoid, and could thus trigger another mid-season driver swap.
It is important to underline that Colapinto’s future at Enstone is not over yet. As this sport continuously demonstrates, fortunes can change quickly.
Still, was asked if Flavio Briatore has approached him about Valtteri Bottas, Toto Wolff’s response was telling:
“A few times, actually,” Wolff told Viaplay.
“I saw him today and we talked about Valtteri. It seems that the interest in Valtteri is increasing even more.
“He deserves that seat. If someone grabs him as a race driver, we’ll let him go. Of course, with a tear in the corner of our eye.
“Ultimately, I give him advice as a friend. Valtteri ultimately makes the choice with his management.
“I try to stay in the background.”
Alpine are not the only team with an interest in Valtteri Bottas for 2026.
As reported by LWOS and other outlets, the Finn is one of the leading contenders to join Cadillac in 2026.
Therefore, Flavio Briatore’s pursuit of the 35-year-old’s signature will not be without competition.
Should Briatore definitively commit to signing Bottas – which still remains to be seen – he will have to offer a compelling deal.
Bottas will certainly demand a longer contract with stronger guarantees than the string of drivers to join Alpine in the last twelve months.
Regarding any agreement between both parties, nothing – at least for now – is set in stone.
Over the coming weeks, however, more updates should emerge on this evolving saga.
Main photo: Sauber media gallery
