F1 veteran Valtteri Bottas has expressed his strong belief that he will remain with Sauber for the 2025 season, insisting current talks are “positive” and “going in the right direction”.
The Swiss outfit, which is set to transition into the Audi works F1 team for 2026, has already signed up Nico Hulkenberg on a multi-year deal but has yet to decide whether to pair the German with a fellow experienced driver such as Bottas or with a promising young talent.
Earlier this week, a report claimed that Brazilian F2 charger Gabriel Bortoleto had emerged as a leading contender for Audi-Sauber’s second seat.
But speaking in Baku on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan GP, Bottas said that he was “99% confident” of retaining his seat with the Hinwil-based squad.
“Still talking. Progressing. I am still positive,” he added. “I shouldn’t really say much, but that’s where we are.
“There are still many things to discuss. Both parties need to be happy. But we’re going in the right direction.”
Bottas acknowledged that Audi-Sauber’s choice will likely come down to the team opting for either experience or youth.
“Yes, I think it’s pretty straightforward,” commented the Finn. “I don’t want to say more, but you’ve got an idea of the situation.
“My strength is experience and what I can bring to the team.”
“It’s not odd, it’s just the sport. I feel like I’m in a good situation at the moment. I can’t tell you more. It’s pretty clear what I want, and hopefully we’ll get there soon.”
While Bottas remains focused on continuing his F1 career, he also noted that his current position with Sauber—who have failed to score any points this season—makes the situation more challenging.
Bottas and teammate Zhou Guanyu sit at the bottom of the drivers' standings, with a non-competitive car threatening their future in the sport.
“This sport is unfair,” he said. “I’ve seen that many times. I am in a difficult situation because of the performance of the car.”
Despite his team’s current situation, Bottas expressed faith in Sauber's future, particularly under the proven leadership of its experienced new CTO and COO Mattia Binotto.
“Mattia knows what he can get from me. Hopefully I’ll be here next year, the car will be better, and I can show a bit more,” Bottas said.
“He has learned that there is a big mountain to climb, it won’t be an easy road. We have built a good relationship, good respect, both ways.
“We catch up regularly about technical stuff and team personnel. He has been learning a lot but is now starting to take action. He is starting to get a clear picture of what we need.
“We need actions, we need change. The last two years things have been going downhill so something needs to change.”
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