Halfway through the 2023 season, Lewis Hamilton was well aware of the pitfall that Mercedes had taken, but when Hamilton said “We still have unfinished business”, he did not include Valtteri Bottas in that ‘we’. The Fin’s Mercedes exit led to mediocre outings in the Alfa Romeo Sauber team (soon to be known as the Stake F team till Audi takes over in 2026). Fast-forward to the winter break, and Bottas shared similar thoughts to Hamilton on his future in F1, and how driving for the German giants is his biggest motive.

As Bottas heads into the final year of his Sauber contract, there could be a lot of potential seats outside of the team available once 2025 rolls around. However, the Fin’s target remains to secure a Sauber seat after his contract expires in hopes it will land him a seat in Audi’s new car once 2026 rolls around the corner.

Valtteri Bottas marks his claim on the 2026 Audi seat

It’s no secret that Valtteri Bottas has been on quite an eventful journey since he left Mercedes. Not only has the 34-year-old opened a Gin Company but also a successful Coffee Roaster empire. But his heart still lies in the pinnacle of motorsport. Bottas was quoted by Motorsport.com, “F1 is the number one thing for me. I’m still hungry to get back on the podium eventually. The Audi project could be the next opportunity.”

While Audi might be Bottas’ best bet to cement his longevity in the sport, the Finn revealed that no formal discussions have taken place with the management as of yet, but a big goal for the first half of 2024 was to move things forward in that aspect. Bottas added, “From my understanding, they’re going to make decisions of the years ahead early [this] year. So not yet. I’m going to have those discussions in the first quarter of [this] year.”

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It’s safe to say that Bottas has his eyesight on a long-term contract with Audi. But what if it doesn’t pan out? Fortunately for fans of the Finn, the contingency plan is right in place. He shared, “Being part of Audi would be my number one priority and preference. But if for some reason not, then absolutely I would talk to [other teams]. I want to be around because I feel like I still have some unfinished things in this sport.”

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With each passing minute, Bottas’ intentions for the future become clearer. Throughout his time at Mercedes, Bottas struggled to outpace his otherworldly teammate, but that might not be the case if he’s involved with the team’s development right from the beginning. His last few years at the front of the grid have left an impression of Bottas as a second driver that the Finn is desperately trying to rewrite. Will he be successful, or will another driver snatch that mouth-watering proposition?

It’s more than just the F1 championship Bottas is after

On one hand, Valtteri Bottas’ F1 future hangs in the balance, depending largely upon the Audi conversations and if the Finn can secure a competent seat. On the other hand, Bottas has been making waves in the cycling scene recently after being inspired by his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell. Kicking off the new year, Bottas participated in an endurance event in Australia, one of many races lined up for the Finn in the 2024 calendar.

The race was held at the Auscycling Gran Fondo National Championship road race at Mount Buninyong for a 58-kilometer run on a closed-off street circuit. Although the Finn is 34, they put him into the 35-39-year-old bracket and he managed to finish 21st with a time of 1 hour 31 minutes. The Sauber driver shared the weekend with his fans on Instagram, seeming happier than ever off-track!

And it isn’t just a one-off event. Bottas has made known his wishes to make it to the UCI Gravel World Championship held in Belgium in October. To qualify, Bottas must finish in the top 25 percent of competitors in his 35-39 age category, which means the he has a lot of work to put in. He was quoted by PlanetF1 saying, “I do take [races] seriously, and will always go out to challenge myself and make the most of it. Whether it’s result, tactically, or average speed I go all in. I don’t mind hurting myself. I kind of like it. I will try to qualify for the gravel worlds next year.”

Valtteri Bottas is not only optimistic about his future with Sauber upon Audi’s arrival but also about his prospects in the professional cycling scene.

Will you be tuning in if he qualifies for the Gravel Worlds?

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