Valtteri Bottas’ Formula 1 racing career may either be over, or it will be safeguarded for multiple more seasons.
After Singapore, the Finn seemed to be heading for a new one-year deal with Audi-owned Sauber - but the situation changed dramatically over the subsequent three-weekend break.
During that time, younger options Mick Schumacher, Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto were linked with the vacant race seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg for 2025.
"At the moment it seems to be more up to Mattia (Binotto) than me," Bottas, 34, told the STT news agency in Austin. "I remain positive because I believe I am the best option, but of course there is a risk that I won’t get the place.
"But we have also established a good connection with Mattia since he arrived. We have discussed my future and also technical issues."
Binotto, the new overall boss of the Audi F1 project, revealed that he met up with Mick Schumacher in Austin and "I explained to him that nothing has been decided yet".
As for Colapinto, Williams boss James Vowles is offering him on loan to Audi, and in Austin confirmed that he is yet to officially be told "no".
"I wouldn’t rule out Franco being on the starting grid next year," he said.
The amiable and impressive rookie Colapinto, meanwhile, also seems to think he still has a chance, joking after the US GP: "Maybe next year, if I don’t have a seat, I’ll become a strategy engineer instead."
Whoever ultimately secures the Audi-Sauber deal, it will not be the one-year stop-gap deal that has been rumoured recently. "We are looking to the future and trying to build a team," Binotto told Viaplay in Austin.
"A one year deal would not make sense from that point of view, so we are negotiating a multi-year contract," he added, estimating that a decision will be made by mid-November at the latest.
As for Bottas, it might not be good news.
"I’ve heard that Bottas will return to Mercedes as a test driver in 2025," former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher said on Sunday.
The Swiss newspaper Blick reported that Schumacher, who is Mick Schumacher’s uncle, learned the information directly from Bottas’ entourage.