Valtteri Bottas, looking for an armchair in F1 by 2026: Alpine?

The Finn is Mercedes’ reserve pilot and wants to return to ownership in the next season. His working group had an approach with the French Team, although it is not the only option.

The 2026 season of Formula 1 will arrive with strong novelties: new technical regulations. In fact, these days, in full exercise 2025, the minds of those in charge of the design and development of World Cup cars is put in the future, much more than improving current chassis. The engines will also be changed and there are some headaches. But not only cars and drivers are spoken these days, the dance of pilots who are looking for a place also began. AND There is Valtteri Bottas, who after losing his place in Sauber at the end of last year, returned to Mercedes as a reserve pilot.

The Finland played 13 consecutive seasons (2012-2024), left 246 large awards, won ten wins, 20 pole posations and was runner-up in 2019 and 2020. His peak got it in his years as a starter in the silver arrows (2017-2021), Team that came after passing through Williams and before moving to Alfa Romeo, later converted in Sauber. Bottas ran out of armchair by 2025, but his goal is to be on the grill in the next season. And, of course, your working group is accelerating the talks.

“I am sitting here now without a career seat, not because of my own choice. I still feel like it, I have not finished with Formula 1. I still have to give. It is still the most important in my life. That feeling became more and more strong and now I really start missing the races,” said ValtterIn statements to Podcast Beyond the Grid.

Cadillac appears on Bottas as the largest option. The American team will join the World Cup in 2026 as the 11th builder and, although there are other names that bite in Punta, the Finn is excited. “If I had the opportunity to be there as a pilot, it would be really interesting because it is a new team that starts from scratch, and one could greatly influence certain decisions, what direction to take. It would be very motivating and rewarding when the successes arrive. I know they have several pilots on their list. I can imagine that my experience would help; I ran with three different teams and one of them had a huge success. Even with Williams I got very good results. I am in a good position, I see it as a very interesting project, an American team, perhaps with a different vision of the sport, “he said. Within the candidates to occupy a place in Cadillac are Czech Pérez, Guanyu Zhou (he is a Ferrari pilot, a brand that will provide team engines) and Colton Herta.

Bottas acknowledged that in addition to Cadillac, there are other chances in the candlestick, such as Alpine. The French team has Pierre Gasly under contract until the end of 2026 and Franco Colapinto, who is under the scrutiny of Flavio Briatore. “I know that my environment had some conversations. They will have Mercedes engine in the future and I think it’s a good choice,” said the Finn. The Escudería de Estone will be a client of the Germans for the supply of drivers since 2026 and Valtteri is a runner of the star of the star. “They are already with the second pilot this year, and I think that the next races will show how the thing is going. The experience can always help, but in this sport there are many policies. I, for example, have no dozens of millions to pay for a seat,” added the Finn of Alpine, a team in which Czech also sounds like a candidate to arrive next year.

Bottas recognized some contact even with Red Bull, but nothing was advanced. “Those conversations were set aside because I think there are certain people, or a person, within Red Bull that for some reason is not very fan of mine. I don’t know if they look beyond their academy. They have so many pilots, even their own junior team “, DIjo in reference to Helmut Marko.

While Bottas awaits for an opportunity for 2026, a surprise chance could arise for this year. The presence of Lance Stroll in Canada is in doubt after its low untimely from Spain and subsequent passage through the operating room to operate the injured wrist in 2023. Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne, the pilots reserve of Aston Martin, has commitment to the 24 hours of Le Mans for that weekend and the green cars carry Mercedes engine. Will the door open for Valtteri in case Stroll does not arrive?