The Formula 1 grid is very slowly starting to take place for the 2025 season but more than half of the current drivers are still unsure of their future.
Aston Martin were the last team to confirm one of their drivers for next year, signing up two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to a long-term deal.
A report from F1 Insider has suggested that two drivers on the grid are unlikely to be so lucky.
The front of the grid is starting to take shape but there’s still plenty of jeopardy further down the paddock.
Out of the bottom five teams, only Alex Albon’s future is confirmed before the end of this season.
He’ll be at Williams in 2025 unless another team decides to buy the 28-year-old out of his contract.
Nico Hulkenberg looks set to be the next driver to sign a contract with a switch from Haas to Audi on the cards.
That appears to be bad news for Sauber’s current drivers Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas who now have ‘no future’ with the team beyond this season.
They’ve not been helped by a car that’s looked capable of scoring points under the right circumstances.
However, those circumstances have regularly been scuppered by frustratingly slow pit stops during every race.
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Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas have ‘no future’ at Sauber beyond 2024
The upcoming arrival of Audi on the grid is exciting for Formula 1 but troubling for their current drivers.
They have an incredible pedigree in motorsport and won’t settle for fighting near the back of the grid like the Swiss outfit currently are.
While it would be very harsh to blame Sauber’s issues on Zhou and Bottas, they know they need to bring in stronger options in the future.
Valtteri Bottas has already suggested staying with the team beyond 2024 is his ideal solution but that looks increasingly unlikely.
His teammate Zhou Guanyu received a hero’s welcome in China but only has 12 career points to his name and it’s hard to see another team on the grid taking a gamble on him at this stage.
READ MORE: Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas’ life outside F1 from girlfriend to wine and gin
Audi starting to take control of Sauber ahead of F1 entry
The report from F1 Insider provides more details on Audi’s potential driver line-up.
They start by saying that current Sauber stars Zhou and Bottas have ‘no future’ with the team beyond this year.
Neither driver will play a role in their future plans with at least two other drivers ahead of them in their thoughts.
The most obvious is Nico Hulkenberg who looks very close to putting pen to paper on a move to the German team.
An announcement is expected before the end of May meaning Haas will become the next team looking to fill an empty seat.
Ferrari youngster Oliver Bearman appears to be destined for a full-time race seat with Ayao Komatsu’s team after his cameo in Saudi Arabia.
READ MORE: Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu’s life outside F1 from height to net worth
Where could Zhou and Bottas end up driving next?
After being told they have ‘no future’ at Sauber, Zhou and Bottas will already be on the lookout for opportunities to stay on the grid.
Zhou has previously been described as the ideal driver for Gene Haas, but Komatsu might have a different opinion on whether the Chinese driver is right for the team.
Bottas’s experience means he might have more options on the table for 2025.
A return to Mercedes is in the realms of possibility if Toto Wolff needs a stop-gap before Kimi Antonelli is ready.
Otherwise, both drivers might be exploring opportunities outside of F1, something Bottas is already doing in his spare time…
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