The Audi question that signalled the end of Bottas' F1 career - for now

Valtteri Bottas has detailed how alarm bells started to ring for him with an Audi question that signalled the end of his full-time F1 career for the time being.

Having been a regular fixture on the grid since his debut in 2013, Bottas is without a race seat for the 2025 campaign and has returned to Mercedes as the third and reserve option to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. 

Heading into the final year of his Stake contract in 2024, Bottas was optimistic of securing a deal to remain with the team as it continues to morph into Audi for '26, and had other options to stay on the grid.

However, Audi ultimately opted to sign F2 title winner Gabriel Bortoleto to partner Nico Hulkenberg with 10-time grand prix winner Bottas ending without a seat when the driver market music stopped.

In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, Bottas revealed how an agreement was verbally in place with new boss Mattia Binotto, before silence from the team signalled his fate was sealed.

"Coming to the end of my contract, I started having a lot of questions about the future, but I was always very confident that I'll be on the [2025] grid, because that is how it looked," he explained.

"For the board of Audi, the decisions like drivers for the future will need to go through them, and some people really wanted me, but then some people wanted a change and to bring in a young driver.

"It was hard because I always got the indication, especially when Mattia joined that I would be the pillar for the project, so it was hard to jump 100% into something else because I got promised I would have a seat.

"Of course, you still want to look around but you can't commit to anything, so then I was just waiting: 'Okay, when do we sign?' and that became a question on a weekly basis even though everything was agreed and ready on paper.

"When that was delayed, then I kind of understood: 'Okay, there is something going on here and it is not going to be good for me."

Article continues below.

Bottas has talks with other teams

Bottas debuted with Williams in 2013, and given the underperformance of Logan Sargeant and previous working relationship with James Vowles at Mercedes, discussions about a deal were held between the two parties.

However, Bottas was gazumped in the race to partner Alex Albon by the more commercially appealing Ferrari exile, Carlos Sainz.

"There were other opportunities as well, we were in very deep talks with Williams for a long time," Bottas continued.

"That became my priority and earlier in the year, we were in talks with Ayao [Komatsu] for a drive with Haas, but I decided to put more eggs in the basket to go to Williams.

"Then that didn't happen because Carlos and what he brings to the team in terms of the financial gains and then I was left with this project and it would have been nice, but I think the bigger people higher up thought a change is needed, including the drivers."