Valtteri Bottas is hoping to receive a final decision
over Audi F1’s driver line-up this week as his Formula 1 future hangs in the
balance.
It comes amid mounting speculation that F2 championship
leader Gabriel Bortoleto has signed a contract to race for the existing Sauber team
in F1 2025.
Valtteri Bottas braced for Audi F1 2025 decision with
Bortoleto signing ‘imminent’
Having announced the signing of Nico Hulkenberg from Haas
in April, Audi F1 have been looking to fill the team’s second seat for F1 2025.
The Swiss-based outfit were known to have been interested
in Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon before the pair elected to join Williams and
Haas respectively, forcing Audi F1 to consider a wide range of alternative
targets.
Bottas told
media including PlanetF1.com at last month’s United States Grand Prix that he
had agreed terms on a deal to stay with Sauber for next season, with the
Finnish driver awaiting a final decision from Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto
However, reports in the German media over the Brazilian
Grand Prix weekend claimed Audi F1 have “finalised” a contract to sign
Bortoleto, with an announcement said to be imminent.
It is suggested that Audi F1 elected against confirming
Bortoleto’s signing in Sao Paulo to protect him from excess media attention as
the 20-year-old prepares to become the first full-time Brazilian F1 racer since
Felipe Massa in 2017.
Bortoleto has been a McLaren junior since last year and is
managed by Aston Martin driver and two-time F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso.
It is unclear whether the deal for Audi F1 to sign the
youngster would be a loan arrangement, with Binotto thought to have been
pushing for a permanent deal from McLaren, who have signalled a willingness to
allow Bortoleto to take up the opportunity.
With Red Bull junior team VCARB officially the only team yet
to confirm their F1 2025 driver line-up, the signing of Bortoleto would leave
Bottas without a seat for next season having been a fixture on the grid since
making his debut with Williams at the beginning of 2013.
Speaking after Sunday’s race at Interlagos, Bottas revealed
that he is expecting to be informed of Audi F1’s choice by Binotto this week.
Asked if he spoke to anyone at Audi F1 regarding his future
during the Brazilian GP weekend, he told reporters: “No, not this weekend.
“We’ve been in touch between the races, but not during the
weekend.
“I’ll be catching up with the boss tomorrow [Monday] and
definitely hoping for some news in the days to come. That’s the target.”
Despite failing to score a point this season, Bottas has
dominated team-mate Zhou Guanyu in qualifying conditions, starting ahead of the
Chinese driver at all but one of the 20 races so far in F1 2024.
The 10-time race winner has insisted that he is satisfied with his performances this year, claiming the uncompetitive C44 has placed a limit on what has been achievable.
.webp)
