P1racenews AI automatic summary:
“I never spoke to Bottas about 2026. I think the rumours that he might drive for Alpine helped him sign a contract with Cadillac.”
Flavio Briatore has refuted Valtteri Bottas’ statement about Alpine initiating discussions for a potential F1 seat in 2026. Bottas had a year of inactivity after losing his Sauber spot to Gabriel Bortoleto, prompting his return to Mercedes as a test and reserve driver. Despite rumors linking Bottas to Alpine due to performance struggles from Doohan and Colapinto, no deal materialized, as Bottas was later announced as one of Cadillac’s drivers for the following year. Colapinto’s future at Alpine remains uncertain, while Bottas confirmed talks with Alpine surrounding their investment and project strategy. Briatore dismissed claims of Alpine communicating with Bottas for a 2026 drive, suggesting that the speculation may have influenced Bottas’ decision to sign with Cadillac, the newly-formed American F1 team. Perez, another driver linked to Alpine, contacted Briatore regarding their plans before finalizing a deal with Cadillac for the 2026 season.
