Bottas returns: Which team is his secret goal for 2026?

Bottas returns: Which team is his secret goal for 2026?

Vereinigtes Königreich, Großbritannien - Valtteri Bottas, the Finnish racing driver, is committed as a replacement driver for Mercedes for the 2025 Formula 1 season. Bottas, who was able to celebrate numerous successes alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes between 2017 and 2021, took a break from racing, but continues to be very interested in continuing his career. In the "Beyond the Grid" podcast, he explained that he does not feel a declining performance and is looking for ways to drive regularly in Formula 1 in 2026. He sets a deadline to make a decision about his sporting future and might also be based on new teams, such as the American racing team Cadillac, because he believes that his experience could be advantageous.

Bottas worked for Williams from 2013 to 2016 and then switched to Mercedes. After his time at Mercedes, he spent two seasons at Alfa Romeo and drove clean in 2024. Despite less active missions in recent years, his ambition has been unbroken. He continues to have the desire to take an F1 starting place in the 2026 season and, potentially, speaks to a new challenge.

interest in Red Bull

In terms of Red Bull Racing, Bottas expressed that the cars were difficult to drive and praised Max Verstappen. He suspects that the team may need an experienced driver and sees itself as a possible option. However, he also believes that there are people within the Red Bull organization who are not a big fan of him, which could affect his opportunities.

career highlights and statistics

Valtteri Bottas set various records in Formula 1 in his career. He holds the best speed of 372.5 km/h, which he reached in Mexico City in 2016. Bottas, who drove in his career for three teams, believes that his versatility and experience in a year with new regulations and vehicles could be of great value. This background could help him to assert itself in the constantly changing world of Formula 1.

It remains to be seen whether Bottas' ambitions and his desire for a comeback in Formula 1 come true. With his commitment as a replacement driver at Mercedes, he has already taken the first step in this direction.

For more details about Bottas ’career and his current developments in Formula 1, the articles can be found on Laola1 and Formula1.com href = "https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formel-1-statistics"> wikipedia