{"id":22909,"date":"2024-08-12T03:47:58","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T07:47:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=22909"},"modified":"2024-08-12T08:38:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T12:38:33","slug":"bottas-admits-contract-renewal-will-be-complicated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/08\/12\/bottas-admits-contract-renewal-will-be-complicated\/","title":{"rendered":"Bottas admits contract renewal will be &#8220;complicated&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/08\/01\/valtteri-bottas-is-running-out-of-options-to-stay-in-f1\/\" target=\"_self\">Valtteri Bottas<\/a> began the year with optimism about his F1 future. However, the 10-time race winner finds himself in an increasingly difficult position to continue in Formula 1. There are still a few seats left for 2025, but Valtteri Bottas is not seen as a front-runner to join any.<\/p>\n<h2>Bottas not a top priority for Sauber<\/h2>\n<p>The prevailing sentiment from Valtteri <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/04\/29\/f1-news-valtteri-bottas-insists-i-have-options-outside-of-audi\/\" target=\"_self\">Bottas<\/a> at the beginning of the season was one of confidence.<\/p>\n<p>He consistently told the media that it was a matter of if &#8211; not when &#8211; he would sign a 2025 contract.<\/p>\n<p>This was despite the fact that, even before the year began, Bottas was exploring alternatives to Sauber.<\/p>\n<p>Bottas was compelled to explore alternatives because, despite spending several years at the Swiss outfit, he did not appear central to their project.<\/p>\n<p>The 34-year-old knew going into this year that counting on Audi to offer him an F1 deal was risky.<\/p>\n<p>After signing <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/04\/16\/f1-news-nico-hulkenberg-2025-team-change-seen-as-formality\/\" target=\"_self\">Nico Hulkenberg<\/a>, the team now led by Mattia Binotto were quick to negotiate with other drivers.<\/p>\n<p>These included <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/08\/07\/williams-carlos-sainz-will-bring-pressure-in-a-good-way\/\" target=\"_self\">Sainz<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/01\/06\/f1-news-esteban-ocon-high-on-sauber-and-audi-shortlist\/\" target=\"_self\">Ocon<\/a>, who were higher on the team&#8217;s shortlist than the Finn.<\/p>\n<p>Even with Sauber missing out on both these targets, there has been no rush at Hinwil to retain Bottas.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"d_o2ewWRSztW0qgyoVX4JQ\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2163932906\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'d_o2ewWRSztW0qgyoVX4JQ',sig:'1vbUm-jF55M3eDovp5itZtZ0vhKA2pRKuwwKgnLJrzo=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'2163932906',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Contract negotiations will be difficult<\/h3>\n<p>With Audi recently appointing <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/07\/23\/mattia-binotto-makes-f1-return-with-audi\/\" target=\"_self\">Mattia Binotto<\/a> to the squad, there is a change of direction in the team.<\/p>\n<p>Although the previous management at Sauber was not especially eager to extend Bottas&#8217; contract, there is no guarantee the former <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/08\/06\/fred-vasseur-next-races-will-be-much-better-for-ferrari\/\" target=\"_self\">Ferrari team principal<\/a> will either.<\/p>\n<p>Aware of this uncertainty, Valtteri Bottas outlines the challenges he expects in negotiations:<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;It is going to reset a bit the talks,&#8221;<\/em> the 34-year-old said regarding Binotto&#8217;s arrival.<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Because we have previously been in communication with Andreas [Seidl] and Oliver [Hoffmann], and now it\u2019s Mattia [Binotto].<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;For sure, that will change some things. So we need to speak.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;It\u2019s a bit of a complicated situation, but let\u2019s see.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"7QopBaebRuRzTpM5U0Po1Q\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2163756195\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'7QopBaebRuRzTpM5U0Po1Q',sig:'Yu9LG13cUQzVk9KxrlFwTqUK87mJTZFZxmGwMkU4vW4=',w:'594px',h:'402px',items:'2163756195',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Bortoleto on the Audi shortlist?<\/h3>\n<p>Roughly twelve months ago, reports first emerged that Sauber were uncertain about their driver line-up.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, it was <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/07\/15\/zhou-guanyu-running-out-of-options-for-2025\/\" target=\"_self\">Zhou Guanyu&#8217;s future<\/a> that was uncertain.<\/p>\n<p>Felipe Drugovich was named as an option for the Swiss team before Zhou&#8217;s deal was extended.<\/p>\n<p>Although a Drugovich deal never materialised, these talks demonstrated the uncertainty surrounding Sauber&#8217;s driver combination.<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead to next year, there is no clear favourite to partner Nico Hulkenberg at the team.<\/p>\n<p>However, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/08\/02\/bortoleto-emerges-as-shock-contender-to-join-sauber\/\" target=\"_self\">Gabriel Bortoleto<\/a> has recently emerged as a contender to join the Swiss-based operation.<\/p>\n<p>The McLaren junior is performing at an exceptional level in Formula 2, even if the majority of attention in the series is currently on Kimi Antonelli.<\/p>\n<p>Bortoleto can be credited with a hugely impressive rookie campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Should he retain second place in the standings, Bortoleto will become the first rookie to finish in the top two in the F2 Championship since Oscar Piastri.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"__Tp7eqLQwdX-vdCgNHe9Q\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2037469740\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'__Tp7eqLQwdX-vdCgNHe9Q',sig:'XjdBvJHiPxBGV-yb5sz0glTvQ2kgc1QNGUalVT-btYs=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'2037469740',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>The future is uncertain for Bottas<\/h3>\n<p>Of course, no conclusions can be reached at this stage.<\/p>\n<p>Valtteri Bottas is still a very experienced driver and handily outperforming his teammate in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Partnering Hulkenberg with another established name could provide Audi with a very strong combination.<\/p>\n<p>Then again, with Hulkenberg providing such a dependable benchmark, there is room for Sauber to take a risk on a youngster.<\/p>\n<p>With the previous favourites to join <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/05\/11\/sauber-confirm-crucial-changes-to-pit-stop-equipment\/\" target=\"_self\">Sauber<\/a> no longer in the running, there is all to play for.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately for Bottas, this type of uncertainty is what he likely wanted to avoid at the beginning of 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Valtteri Bottas began the year with optimism about his F1 future. However, the 10-time race winner finds himself in an increasingly difficult position to continue in Formula 1. There are still a few seats left for 2025, but Valtteri Bottas is not seen as a front-runner to join any. Bottas not a top priority for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4927,"featured_media":22557,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[2220,206,68,2072,684,345,225],"class_list":["post-22909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-formula-1","category-news","tag-2024-formula-1-season","tag-audi","tag-f1","tag-gabriel-bortoleto","tag-mattia-binotto","tag-sauber","tag-valtteri-bottas"],"modified_by":"Jaden Diaz-Ndisang","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4927"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22909\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}