Valtteri Bottas may need to keep his racing career alive by switching to Indycar for 2025.
That is the view of fellow Finn and former F1 driver Mika Salo, who thinks the chances are very real that Bottas, 34, will not be retained by Audi-owned Sauber.
Audi has obtained permission from the McLaren driver development program to negotiate a deal with impressive F2 frontrunner and teenager Gabriel Bortoleto, managed by Fernando Alonso’s A14 management company.
However, Bottas confirmed at Baku on Thursday that he is still in talks with new Audi F1 boss Mattia Binotto, and 99 percent confident of a deal.
The problem could be his multi-million dollar salary demands, as well as his insistence on more than a one-year contract.
"It’s a big topic in the Baku paddock," said Roger Benoit, a veteran journalist for the Swiss newspaper Blick. "Apparently, the last-placed driver in the world championship is still demanding too much money for a new contract because of his experience.
"And this is despite being paid handsomely for the past three years."
Salo agrees that Bottas has struggled to shine at all in 2024. "Bottas’ performances this year are miserable but it’s because of the car. Valtteri has a past that everyone knows about," he told Ilta Sanomat newspaper.
"He is a skilled driver and a good team player and that speaks for him," Salo added. "He’s not cheap, though, and Bortoleto would certainly be bringing something with him," he said, referring to Brazilian sponsorship backing.
"The situation is very difficult for Valtteri. I can’t really say what’s going on, but if I was the team boss, I would prefer to choose an experienced driver."
57-year-old Salo, who drove for Sauber in the past, thinks Bottas should consider easing his demands for more than a one-year contract.
"A one-year contract with a new team would be bad," he said, "but not with a team you already know."
When asked about Bottas’ claim that he is 99 percent confident of an eventual Sauber deal, team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi was non-committal at Baku.
"We are evaluating all the options to see which is the best balance between short-term experience and medium, long-term, maybe young talent," he said. "There are potential candidates on both sides.
"Valtteri is a strong driver for our team," Bravi added. "We know him very well and of course he’s one on top of our list. But there are other opportunities."
Bottas admits that if he is overlooked for the last vacancy on the 2025 grid, he would prioritise Indycar as his ’plan B’. "What is certain is that I want to continue competing, as I have done all my life," he said.
"Plan B would be Indycar. Try to win the championship there for a few years. But that is not the scenario I am thinking about now."
Salo thinks it’s a good fall-back option for Bottas.
"I follow Indycar myself," he said. "There are good races and the cars are equal, although those oval tracks are not easy. But I do believe that Valtteri would quickly find a place to drive there."