An F1 outsider’s options to get back on the grid in 2026

The Formula 1 driver merry-go-round was out of commission for 2024 as all the team stuck with their line-ups from the previous year. But the wheels were greased for the current season, and Valtteri Bottas was one of the drivers whose ride came to an end.

The 35-year-old has rejoined the queue to get back onboard, hoping his omission from F1 is temporary. He has certainly done the best he can in the meantime, returning to his former team, Mercedes, as a third driver and receiving praise from team principal Toto Wolff and new incumbent Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the rookie thankful to Bottas for his tutelage.

Settle down to watch a grand prix on any given Sunday in 2025 and there is a good chance the television director will switch to a shot of Bottas at some stage, his mullet under a Mercedes cap and his moustache flowing freely.

But that is not the sort of long-term role a competitive driver, with 12 years of F1 experience and 10 grand prix wins, is happy with. This means that Bottas is now weighing up his options as 2026 seats start to be locked in.

One place that does not seem likely to offer such solace is his current “home,” with Mercedes set to stick with Antonelli and George Russell – despite the latter’s contract expiring at the end of 2025 and with no extension signed as of yet.

“Realistically, I think Mercedes as a team and Toto, I think they’re quite content with their pairing at the moment,” Bottas told the Beyond the Grid podcast.

“You know, Kimi is making progress. Yes, he had a couple of difficult races recently, but that’s part of the learning curve. I think Kimi is more their long-term investment. George has been doing a great job, very consistent, getting most of the car.

“So I wouldn’t actually see a reason for a change over there, even if I was the team manager. Of course, I would take Valtteri Bottas as a driver, but you know what I’m saying!”

There could be another top team searching for a driver for next year, Red Bull has handed the reins of the second car to Yuki Tsunoda – almost begrudgingly – and he is likely to be given the Sergio Perez golden handshake after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

For Bottas, though, a move to Milton Keynes also does not seem to be on the cards: “I don’t know if they look outside their academy. They have so many drivers,” he said.

“They’ve got obviously their junior team as well, the RB. It’s a tough one because it seems like it’s not an easy car to drive. Obviously, Max is doing the job. He’s really pushing almost beyond the limits of the car. And whoever has been alongside him hasn’t looked great.

“But I don’t know. I just wonder if that car, to be driven fast, needs a driver with an experience. So, I don’t know. That’s my speculation. But I think they know that I’m keen to race. They know that I would be available for next year. But I don’t know their mindset on that.”

Asked if he had spoken to Red Bull about a race seat in 2025, Bottas revealed some personal beef might have kept him from doing so: “Not really. It was put down quite quickly because I think there’s certain persons or a person within the Red Bull organisation that for some reason is not a big fan of mine. But that’s life.”

Maybe a team further down the grid could find a place for Bottas, especially, as he explains, he can bring some of his own backing.

Valtteri Bottas, Williams FW38, leads Felipe Massa, Williams FW38

Photo by: Williams F1

“It depends on the team, but I do have some personal partners that could potentially join me, but still not to an extent to some others. But let’s wait and see a few races, see how things go. You never know if something opens up,” he said.

There has emerged an obvious link to Alpine, who will race with Mercedes power units from next year and, with Pierre Gasly’s multi-year deal requiring an extension and the second seat seemingly a five-race audition process with Franco Colapinto, Bottas could be the answer.

“Probably there has been some discussions. I haven’t really been involved, but I do have a management team who are always in the background seeing what is out there,” he said of a potential switch to Enstone. “They do have a Mercedes power unit for the future, which I think is a good call.

“They’re on their second driver this year, and I think the next races will show how that goes again. I think on a struggle street, let’s say, experience can always help. But there’s lots of politics in this sport. I don’t have tens of millions to pay for a seat, for example.”

Bottas’ options are only helped by the fact F1 will welcome an 11th team onto the grid next year in the form of Cadillac. The all-American brand will be keen to impress from the outset and putting a wizened head into one of their cars could be a way of doing just that.

Perez has been heavily linked with a Cadillac drive in recent weeks but Bottas, too, would offer the new kids on the block a wealth of experience, especially with the new regulations – although he is not willing to wait around to find out.

“I don’t think they’re in a massive rush. They’ve been very, very busy on trying to get a car on the grid for Melbourne next year, or for the first test early next year,” Bottas replied when asked about his Cadillac prospects.

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

“Timeline-wise, I know my timeline, when I want to know about next year and what plans do I need to make, which I think August, more or less, is a pretty good target for that. But hopefully we’ll hear something more soon.

“Again, I think they have a few drivers on the list. I would imagine my experience will help because now I’ve raced in three different teams. One of the teams had mega success with Williams, as well had some great, great results, etc. So I hope I’m in a good position. And for me, I actually see a very interesting project, something new to Formula 1, an American team with maybe a different view to the sport.

“For me to, let’s say, if I would be there as a driver, would be actually very interesting because you can start from scratch. The team starts from zero. And you could actually make a big influence on certain things, which direction to go. And that would be very motivating and rewarding when the success comes.

“I think rule change is always a good point to jump in because you just never know. If you suddenly get it right, you actually might be doing really well from the get-go.”