With the 2024 System 1 season winding down, there are a couple of small issues of enterprise left to be determined concerning the 2025 driver grid.
A type of seats? The second spot at Sauber alongside Nico Hülkenberg. Whereas the workforce has already confirmed Nico Hülkenberg can be in a kind of seats — giving the group a German driver forward to the workforce turning into the Audi works operation in 2026 — the second seat remains to be but to be confirmed.
Valtteri Bottas, the veteran driver presently driving for the workforce alongside Zhou Guanyu, stays one of many drivers in rivalry for that spot. However with Bottas and Sauber but to attain some extent this season, and younger Franco Colapinto performing nicely after becoming a member of the grid midseason with Williams, there’s a likelihood that Bottas might be left on the surface wanting in.
Talking with the media forward of this weekend’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, Bottas conceded {that a} return to Mercedes, as a reserve driver, is perhaps a backup plan for him.
“Firstly, the precedence is to remain as a race driver, that’s what I would like, and that’s what I’m pushing for with Mattia [Binotto, the recently-named CEO at Audi],” mentioned Bottas to the official F1 channel in Mexico Metropolis. “However, after all, as I don’t have something signed – we’re in October – I’ve acquired to have a look at all of the alternate options together with going again to the Mercedes household. That’s for certain one choice and I’d contemplate it.”
Bottas additionally indicated that he was in virtually “day by day” contact with Binotto concerning each a possible contract, in addition to technical stuff with the workforce’s automobile, and the ball is in Sauber’s courtroom.
“We’re in an virtually day by day foundation, preserving in contact with Mattia – generally about technical stuff, generally in regards to the future,” added Bottas. “We’ve fairly nicely agreed the whole lot when it comes to the phrases and stuff like that. Now it’s simply, the ball is of their camp so I’ll maintain ready and doing my job.”
Forward of final week’s United States Grand Prix Bottas informed SB Nation in an unique interview that when there may be information, we are going to hear information.
“Individuals can anticipate information when there may be some information,” shared Bottas forward of the US Grand Prix. “Clearly, I’ve been in discussions with the workforce for a very long time. We’re looking for the suitable settlement. So yeah, nonetheless nothing to announce this weekend for certain. Nonetheless engaged on it. However, yeah, all the time making progress and I’m all the time staying constructive.
“So ultimately, we’ll all know.”