F1 race winner reveals talks over uncertain contract situation

Valtteri Bottas is anticipating contract discussions with Sauber to kick off in the first quarter of 2024.

The 34-year-old's current contract is set to conclude at the end of the upcoming season, and he has expressed a keen interest in being part of the project leading up to Audi's arrival in 2026.

Having joined Sauber after leaving Mercedes in 2021, Bottas faced challenges during the first half of the 2022 season at Alfa Romeo.

Despite a strong start, scoring points in seven of the initial nine races, the team's performance declined in 2023, finishing ninth in the constructors' championship by the season's end.

As Bottas and the Sauber team approach the final year of his contract, the upcoming talks add an intriguing dimension to their partnership.

Bottas: No talks yet

“So I’m signed until [the] end of next year and there hasn’t been talks yet,” Bottas told Express Sport.

“We have agreed to talk next year… I would say in the first quarter of next year to finalise things and make sure we’re all on the same page.”

“But it’s interesting times in F1 obviously,” he continued. “I think there’s actually many drivers without contracts [beyond 2024] so it’s going to be quite interesting actually to follow how things are going to fall into place.

"For me the goal is clear. I would definitely want to be a part of the Audi project, so that’s my goal and we’ll find out next year what happens.”

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