Feb.5 (GMM) 2024 could possibly be Valtteri Bottas’ final season in Method 1, based on Finnish journalist Ismo Uusitupa.
When information broke that his former Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton would swap to Ferrari in 2025, Bottas teasingly posted on X a photograph of himself sitting at a desk together with his cellphone in entrance of him.
He additionally hinted on social media that he not too long ago visited Brackley – Mercedes’ headquarters.
The 34-year-old now races for Sauber – to be referred to as Stake F1 Staff this yr following Alfa Romeo’s departure. However Uusitupa, writing in Ilta Sanomat newspaper, thinks Bottas might really be left with out a seat in any respect in 2025.
That’s as a result of 2025 Ferrari refugee Carlos Sainz is intently linked with a transfer to Audi – the VW-owned carmaker that’s taking on Sauber for 2026.
“Bottas’ possibilities to proceed with Sauber are starting to look slim,” the F1 correspondent wrote.
“In concept, the opposite place (at Sauber-Audi) could possibly be out there. But when Sauber continues with the identical system as a number of different decrease degree groups, Bottas can be left behind,” Uusitupa defined.
“Sauber is now within the state of affairs the place Bottas is the employed driver and Zhou Guanyu is there with Chinese language cash. So if Sainz turns into the employed driver, the query is what sort of driver will the opposite one be?”
Bottas might subsequently want to hunt a brand new group for 2025, however Uusitupa stated: “That’s attainable, however it could be tough.
“In any case, Bottas has a giant season forward of him.”
