Axed F1 star linked with shock Alpine move

An axed Formula 1 star has been linked with a shock return to the grid with Alpine.

Valtteri Bottas lost his place on the F1 grid at the end of the 2024 season following a stint with Sauber, and is now a reserve driver for his former team, Mercedes.

The Finn has been linked with a return to the grid with Cadillac on a consistent basis since their 2026 entry was confirmed, but now, Alpine have emerged as a shock contender for his signature.

The Enstone-based outfit are rooted to the bottom of the F1 standings following another dismal outing at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, with neither Pierre Gasly nor Franco Colapinto able to pick up any much-needed points.

But while both are struggling for form, it is the performances of Colapinto in particular that have reportedly prompted the team to seek alternative options.

READ MORE: FIA confirm Mercedes F1 star set for punishment at British Grand Prix

Valtteri Bottas to Alpine?

According to The Race, Alpine supremo Flavio Briatore has approached Mercedes to discuss Bottas' availability as the team looks to turn their fortunes around.

The report states that these talks are preliminary and at an early stage. However, it does suggest an appetite from within Alpine to make another driver swap this season.

Earlier this year, the team axed Jack Doohan and brought in Colapinto, however, the Argentine driver could now be facing being fired himself.

Colapinto spent the second half of 2024 alongside Alex Albon at Williams and was initially given five races to prove his worth, before Briatore issued a bizarre U-turn on that decision.

It remains unclear how long Alpine will now stick with the Argentine, but so far he is point-less in his five races so far, with his best finishes of 2025 having been 13th-place finishes at the Monaco and Canadian Grands Prix.

READ MORE: F1 champ Max Verstappen tipped for Red Bull exit ahead of 2026

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