Valtteri Bottas is far from finished with Formula 1. The Finn is on the bench at Mercedes this season, after Sauber decided to terminate his contract at the end of 2024. However, mentoring Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli is not enough for the driver. Bottas hopes to be back on the grid for a few more years, preferably with the upcoming eleventh team, Cadillac.
Valtteri Bottas had to leave Sauber at the end of 2024 and was replaced by Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. After a disappointing season with the Swiss team, in which the Finn failed to score any points, Bottas found himself without a seat. Mercedes offered a helping hand, and he started working as a reserve driver for his former employer. However, this is far from enough for Bottas.
“My goal is to race again,” Bottas tells TopGear.com. The Finn also knows how he can best achieve this. “I need to keep a close eye on what’s happening in the driver’s market. Of course, I’m focused on my work, but at the same time, I’m keeping my eyes and ears open.”
The ten-time Grand Prix winner has been racing in the premier class since 2013, so he is not lacking in experience. Lewis Hamilton‘s teammate at Mercedes. “I’m not content right now,” the Finn honestly admits about his current role as a reserve driver. “I truly feel that I have a few more years left, and that I can contribute more to the sport. At the same time, the sport is always difficult to predict, and so is whether you’ll get a second chance.”
Cadillac
One potential opportunity for Bottas could be the upcoming Cadillac team. The American racing team will be on the grid from 2026 and is still looking for drivers. Bottas, along with Sergio Pérez, is on the list of candidates. “What would motivate me is to start a new project. To embark on a collaboration for a number of years with clear goals. That’s what I need right now,” he says.
The former Mercedes driver states that he is done with one-year contracts. “But at the same time, if a spot opens up in a car where you can fight for good points or even podium finishes or victories, I would of course like to do that,” Bottas concludes. “But it’s quite difficult to see how things will unfold at the moment.”
