P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Valtteri Bottas believes Mercedes will adopt a degree of flexibility if opportunities emerge elsewhere in F1 – but one seat rival appears to already have the upper hand.
Valtteri Bottas does not anticipate Mercedes preventing him from leaving for another F1 team if a race seat opens up. He has returned to Mercedes as their third driver, supporting George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, after missing out on a full-time drive for the upcoming season. Bottas is currently sidelined as Stake has chosen to pair Nico Hulkenberg with F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto. However, if an opportunity to race arises earlier than expected, Bottas believes Mercedes would not block his path despite being contracted for the entire year. The 35-year-old remains committed to the team for now, but acknowledges the need for flexibility and is open to exploring new opportunities as they arise. Although Formula 1 is expected to expand to 11 teams in 2026 with the arrival of Cadillac, Bottas has not yet discussed any potential opportunities with the American team, while Sergio Perez is reportedly in talks with them following his departure from Red Bull. Bottas believes it is too early to engage with Cadillac, as they are focused on establishing the team and its operations.
