After Mercedes announced Kimi Antonelli as their 2nd driver for the 2025 season, Valtteri Bottas’ options for next year have become very limited. There are now only 2 more teams who are yet to confirm their driver lineup – VCARB and Kick Sauber. Ideally, Bottas would prefer to remain with his current team at Sauber. However, reports have indicated that the team are looking to sign a Formula 2 driver for the 2025 season.
When Audi announced that they were entering the sport in place of Sauber from the 2026 season, they were very clear that they didn’t want to retain Bottas and Zhou. The team has already signed Nico Hulkenberg on a multi-year deal. They were also hoping to get Carlos Sainz to join the team, but the Spaniard has decided to take his talents to Williams. So now, Audi’s options are either Bottas or an F2 driver. The Swiss team has chosen to go for the latter.
Audi/Kick Sauber looking to sign F2 driver, Gabriel Bortoleto for 2025
Gabriel Bortoleto is currently driving for Invictus Racing in Formula 2. He is a part of the McLaren Driver Academy this year. Bortoleto is one of the most exciting prospects for Formula 1 and it looks like he will join Audi/Sauber next year.
Last year, he won the FIA Formula 3 Championship by 45 points. This year, he is competing against Isaack Hadjar for the F2 Championship. Bortoleto currently sits in 2nd place, just 10.5 points behind the leader. With 3 more rounds still to go, there is a good chance that Bortoleto will win the Formula 2 Championship in his rookie year.
⚠️ | Brazilian F2 driver Gabriel Bortoleto has reportedly been given the greenlight by McLaren to enter talks with Stake F1/Audi for their 2025 vacancy.
The Woking-based team want to retain the option to bring the driver back in the future, should Norris or Piastri depart.#F1… pic.twitter.com/Mmbglhk2ME
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) September 10, 2024
Given how well the Brazilian has been performing, there is a very high chance that Kick Sauber choose to sign him for next year. There are not a lot of drivers who have won the Formula 2 Championship in their rookie year. Most of those who have done so went on to become F1 stars. Audi/Kick Sauber will not want to miss this opportunity.
What now for Valtteri Bottas?
Although Audi/Sauber has not yet made the decision to sign Bortoleto, it is looking like a high possibility. If this happens, we might not see the Finnish driver in Formula 1 next year.
In this scenario, Bottas can either take a break from racing or could look to race in another racing series. In the past few years, Valtteri Bottas has become very popular among F1 fans due to his humorous personality and more importantly, his hairstyle.
Bottas also loves to go cycling either by himself or with his partner, Tiffany Cromwell, who is a professional bicyclist. So there is a strong possibility that he will choose to take a break and travel around the world with his partner.
⚠️ | Time is running out for Valtteri Bottas, and he knows it:
“Options are limited for me, but that is how it is… I have had to think: ‘what if I am not in Formula 1 next year?’”
Negotiations are still active between the Finn and new Audi team boss, Mattia Binotto, with the… pic.twitter.com/MndSiIm36T
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) September 11, 2024
However, if Bottas decides to not take a break and instead continue to remain in the world of racing, he could be picked up as a reserve driver by one of the F1 teams. Bottas has a lot of experience in F1. He most famously drove for Mercedes and helped them win 5 Constructors’ Championships.
His experience and skill will definitely be valued by most F1 teams and they would love to have him as a reserve driver. This way, he could also take over the title of the Supersub which was held by Nico Hulkenberg in 2020 and 2021.
Teams in other racing series like IndyCar and WEC will also be interested in signing the Finnish driver. However, it is unlikely that Bottas would go to IndyCar. WEC on the other hand is a possibility. Maybe not as a full-time driver, but maybe just for the Le Mans race.
Do you think Valtteri Bottas can still secure a seat in F1 for next year? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
