Valtteri Bottas has revealed there was “quite little communication” between him and Sauber/Audi’s Formula 1 management prior to the recent upheaval that occurred.
Bottas’ contract with Sauber will expire once the ongoing campaign concludes as the team prepares to morph into a works Audi entrant with new regulations in 2026.
The Hinwil-based squad was successful in obtaining Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg on a long-term deal, but it was unable to beat Williams to acquire Carlos Sainz’s services.
Bottas stated last month that Audi’s choice to oust CEO Andreas Seidl and hire Mattia Binotto to lead its budding venture would “reset” his conversations with Sauber.
The Finn has revealed that positive discussions with the erstwhile Ferrari boss have started as he scrambles to secure his spot on the F1 grid past the current season.
“Obviously, Mattia just started,” Bottas told media including Motorsport Week. “Like I mentioned in Spa, things reset quite a bit with the new point of communication.
“So we had a quick talk after Spa, and we continued the discussions this week. That’s where we are at the moment.”
He added: “He knows me a little bit, and now we’ve got to know each other better. We used to be competitors when I was at Mercedes and he was at Ferrari.
“But it seems like he’s got respect for me, I’ve got respect for him. Which is a good starting point for the discussion.”
Having been placed in the dark at times under the old regime, Bottas has expressed that he has welcomed Binotto’s approach to being transparent in their initial talks.
“It did feel for the last six months or so that I wasn’t the top priority,” he conceded.
“Obviously there was one signing before me, and obviously the team and the management were looking for all the options, with sometimes quite little communication.
“But now it feels a bit different. Like I said, there was a clear reset. Now there’s a clear structure at the top, who’s doing what. I think that’s positive going forward.
“Mattia comes from a team that has been super successful. He knows what a good team really needs. So I think it’s good for the future of this team.”
The ex-Mercedes racer has divulged that Binotto has sold him a long-term vision which has bolstered his desire to remain at Sauber through its transition into Audi.
“For me, it’s more like the more I learn about the Audi project and their investments and what they’ve been actually doing in the recent years,” he explained.
“Now, in the last two weeks, I’ve learned a bit more. That makes me definitely more confident that it’s going to be a successful project sooner or later.”
Asked whether he was puzzled to not be told about such plans sooner, Bottas indicated that Seidl wanting to assess external options meant things were concealed.
“Well, I know why some things aren’t being told,” he suggested. “In this sport, I know how it goes.”
But with Seidl no longer at the helm and Sainz turning down Sauber/Audi’s advances, Bottas is certain that his chances at remaining with the team are now “bigger”.
“Obviously they make the decision in the end,” he acknowledged. “But they’re evaluating all the options, no doubt, as they should.
“But I would imagine I should be in a strong position. But obviously it’s down to Mattia and Audi.”
Asked whether he had an ideal timeline to get his 2025 prospects resolved, Bottas replied: “We are already in August, soon in September.
“So I think the sooner the better for everyone. I think that’s what everyone agrees. That’s how it is sometimes.”
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