Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas has dropped a potential hint that he will remain with the team in the 2025 season.
Bottas has been with the Hinwil-based outfit from 2022, but his contract is set to expire this year.
Previous Audi F1 CEO was believed to be against renewing the Finn’s deal in favour of a failed bid to lure Carlos Sainz into the Sauber transformation to Audi in 2026.
Sainz signing with Williams has opened the door for Bottas to renegotiate with Sauber, especially with a new man at the helm of the project in the form of Mattia Binotto.
A post on Bottas X account (formerly Twitter), may just have dropped a hint that the Finn is staying in Switzerland after all.
Teasing a brand partnership piece of content with Hyland, Bottas posted an image of an Audi R8 sportscar with the #77 emblazoned on the side.
A mere coincidence, or a sign that a multi-year extension with Sauber is on the horizon for Bottas to usher in the Audi project alongside Nico Hulkenberg in 2026?
Beyond retaining his seat at Sauber, Bottas’ options to remain in Formula 1 appear limited at best.
The final seat that appears up for grabs is alongside Pierre Gasly at Alpine, but it looks as if the Anglo-French outfit is prioritising promoting its Reserve Driver Jack Doohan into a full-time role.
At Sauber, the options for the Swiss team have narrowed as drivers have made their moves in the market with Sainz going to Williams and Esteban Ocon to Haas.
That puts Bottas in the running with the likes of Red Bull Reserve driver Liam Lawson and even Formula 2 title contender Gabriel Bortoleto, who Italian media have linked with the vacant 2025 seat alongside Hulkenberg.
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