P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Valtteri Bottas has denied that failing to renew his deal with Sauber will spell an end to his Formula 1
Valtteri Bottas, who initially joined the team when it was still known as Alfa Romeo in 2022, is now in the final phase of his contract with Sauber which is transitioning to become Audi. The Finnish driver has expressed a desire to stay with Sauber to lead Audi’s entry into F1 for the first time in 2026. Despite this, Sauber has recently signed Nico Hulkenberg to a multi-term deal, and Carlos Sainz is rumored to be a potential candidate for the other seat. Bottas remains optimistic about finding an alternative opportunity to stay in F1, even if it means not continuing with Sauber. Talks about his future have already begun, and Bottas is keen to have his plans settled soon, expecting an interesting few weeks ahead. Additionally, a return to Williams, where he started his F1 journey in 2013, seems to be a plausible option for Bottas, especially considering the positive developments at the team under the leadership of James Vowles.
