Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas has suggested that signing up to drive for Audi in Formula 1 is the ‘ideal’ solution for his future.
The experienced Finn has entered the last year of his contract with the team and has plenty to prove after a difficult couple of seasons.
Speaking to the press before the opening race of the year, via Racing News 365, Bottas admitted work is already going on behind the scenes to secure his future.
Bottas admits Audi drive is ‘ideal’ for his F1 future
There are so many drivers on the Formula 1 grid right now driving for their futures in the sport.
More than half the current paddock are out of contract at the end of the season and Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is likely to create a chain reaction of moves.
There is also the imminent arrival of another works team in F1.
Audi will be taking over Sauber in 2026 and are already beginning to influence the team.
They’ll want the strongest driver line-up possible when they enter the sport putting their current line-up of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu under pressure.
Bottas has suggested that staying with Sauber when they become Audi is the ideal place for him on the grid.
However, he only scored on four occasions last year and finished just a point ahead of Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Audi already scouting the F1 driver market
Talking about his future, Bottas said: “It’s going to be interesting.
“I would imagine that things will start to move relatively soon, because there are many contracts that are expiring, including myself.
“I want to have a good beginning of the year and then we’ll see. Of course, the people behind me are already working on it, finding what are the best options and what are the opportunities.
“I just need to do the driving now. My priority, as I’ve said before, would be getting involved in the Audi project. For me, that’s really tempting and ideal.”
While Audi may be ideal for Bottas, they’ve got plenty of other drivers on their radar.
Esteban Ocon is reportedly ‘very high up’ on their radar, while Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly are under consideration.
There’s then the connection with Carlos Sainz after his father won the Dakar Rally with the team.
He’ll be leaving Ferrari when Hamilton arrives in 2025, but has been warned by Eddie Jordan not to take the seat if offered it.
It means with so much competition, Bottas has to be at the top of his game to stay with Sauber until they become Audi.
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