Valtteri Bottas, a 10-time Formula 1 race winner, is set to lose his seat at Sauber for the 2025 season as Audi F1 is reportedly close to finalizing a deal with McLaren junior Gabriel Bortoleto. Despite Bottas expressing confidence about his future at Sauber, the team has been exploring other options for the second seat, after high-profile targets like Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon chose to join other teams for the upcoming season.
In April, Sauber had secured Nico Hulkenberg from Haas, but the team had to reassess its second seat due to the unavailability of top targets. Other candidates for the seat included Bottas’s current teammate Zhou Guanyu, former Haas driver Mick Schumacher, Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich, Sauber reserve Theo Pourchaire, and Williams F1 supersub Franco Colapinto. Bottas had been in discussions with Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto, but now it seems he will not be part of the team for 2025.
Bottas, who has been a fixture on the F1 grid since 2013, had hoped to stay at Sauber, even mentioning that terms had been agreed for a new deal. However, recent reports suggest Audi F1 is on the verge of confirming Bortoleto’s signing, with the 20-year-old Brazilian currently leading the Formula 2 championship. His contract is expected to be announced soon, with Audi F1 apparently waiting to avoid drawing too much media attention to the young driver during his home race in Brazil.
Bortoleto, who has been part of McLaren’s junior program since last year and is managed by two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, is on the brink of securing his first F1 seat. McLaren, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri already signed for the long term, is reportedly willing to let Bortoleto join Audi F1. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella spoke highly of the Brazilian’s talent, acknowledging that it’s natural for other F1 teams to show interest in him.
If confirmed, Bortoleto’s move to Audi F1 would likely mark the end of Bottas’s F1 career. However, Bottas has not ruled out a return to Mercedes in a reserve driver role if he does not secure a race seat for 2025. He has stated that his priority is to remain a race driver, but with limited options available, he is also open to exploring backup roles with Mercedes or other teams, with hopes of returning to a full-time race seat in the future.