The F1 driver market might’ve forgotten Lewis Hamilton’s former teammate

The future of Lewis Hamilton's former Mercedes teammate looms in uncertainty with a lack of viable options for a 2025 seat.

The F1 driver market might’ve forgotten Lewis Hamilton’s former teammate

Valtteri Bottas and Lewis hamilton (Via: Imago)

After Nico Rosberg‘s shock retirement at the end of 2016, Mercedes was looking for a driver who could partner Lewis Hamilton. The Silver Arrows finally signed then-Williams driver Valtteri Bottas. The Finnish driver met expectations from the get-go but was eventually replaced by George Russell for 2022. Now, it seems that Bottas might find himself out of contention for a competitive seat for 2025.

Valtteri Bottas joined Sauber-run Alfa Romeo in 2022. The Finn claimed it to be a new start without any ties to Mercedes. Things seemed promising for Bottas with the start of the ground-effect era. However, the 34-year-old’s mullet became a bigger talking point than his on-track performances.

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The Finnish driver outperformed teammate Zhou Guanyu by 4 points last season. Both drivers have failed to score a single point in 2024 so far. Valtteri Bottas has failed to stand out in the tough battle in the lower half of the grid against the likes of Nico Hulkenberg and Alex Albon. Bottas seems to be even running out of options for next year.

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Valtteri Bottas not even on Audi’s radar for 2025

The F1 driver market is fully open for 2025. Over half of the grid is without a contract for next season with even Red Bull and Mercedes having a vacant seat. However, Valtteri Bottas has not made a convincing case for either of the two top teams for next season despite winning a handful of races for the Silver Arrows in the past.

Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas (Via: Imago)

Bottas’ current team would be taken over by Audi in 2026. Subsequently, the German carmaker wants to have its own pick of drivers from next season. Nico Hulkenberg has already signed a deal with Audi with Carlos Sainz reportedly the priority target for the second seat. It seems that Valtteri Bottas’ current employer is not interested in even having the Finn as a backup option. As reports of a four driver back-up list omitted the 34-year-old’s name entirely.

Valtteri Bottas seems to only have a couple of options in the lower half of the grid for next season. Williams is believed to be a promising candidate for the Finnish driver. However, reports have emerged that this seat could be taken up by Carlos Sainz instead. Subsequently, Bottas could be forced to join Haas, the only team left which has not discarded the 34-year-old’s chances.

It is a shame to see a 10-time race winner struggle to find a competitive seat. However, Valtteri Bottas’ recent results fail to make a strong case for the 34-year-old. The Finnish driver has failed to replicate the glimpses of performance which he showcased against Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Fans would be hoping that Bottas does get a good contract for 2025 and stays on the grid for the coming seasons.

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