Naomi Schiff shares what Valtteri Bottas is better at than every other F1 driver on the grid

Follow us on Google Discover

Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas is one of several drivers currently on the grid who face an uncertain future beyond 2024.

After more than 230 Grand Prix entries, 67 podiums and 10 race wins, Valtteri Bottas is once again in a precarious position in the paddock.

Ahead of Audi’s takeover of Sauber in 2026, the team are considering their options in the driver’s market and after quickly making their move to sign Nico Hulkenberg, have stalled when selecting their second driver.

Carlos Sainz was Sauber’s top choice but his move to Williams has created fresh speculation once again.

Bottas is seen as one of the likely drivers to stay at Sauber given his experience although his teammate Zhou Guanyu isn’t ruling himself out of earning a new contract either.

While the Finn is bottom of the Drivers’ Championship, that’s more to do with how poor the car has been rather than a reflection of his ability.

Sky Sports F1 pundit Naomi Schiff agrees and when asked to choose her ultimate Formula 1 driver, she selected Bottas for one key attribute.

Bottas is well known for giving expert feedback behind the scenes and his race-winning pedigree in a top car can’t be questioned when looking at his record at Mercedes.

However, out of all of the drivers on the grid, Schiff believes that Bottas is the best starter of the lot.

The 34-year-old is a decent qualifier and only twice this season has Zhou started ahead of him on the grid including Sprint Races.

But when the five red lights go out, Bottas is regularly seen with a small green arrow next to his name on the television graphics to show he’s once again made up places through the first few corners.

READ MORE: Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas’ life outside F1 from girlfriend to wine and gin

Naomi Schiff thinks Valtteri Bottas is the best starter on the Formula 1 grid

Schiff believes that Lewis Hamilton is the best racer under pressure and continued to pick the key attributes for her ultimate driver.

When talking about the best starter in F1, Schiff said: “I would probably go with Valtteri Bottas because he’s had a couple of really great starts.

“If I had to think of the one person on the grid it would be him.”

Sauber’s car has such a deficit to the rest of the field that Bottas and Zhou have to try and make the most of the chaos at the beginning of each race.

Whether they can hold onto any positions that they’ve gained is another matter and more than halfway through the season they’ve been unable to score a single point as a result.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber from team principal to Audi future

Valtteri Bottas faces an uncertain future in Formula 1

While Bottas is one of the strongest candidates for the second Sauber seat alongside Hulkenberg next year, the driver market has developed in a way that gives Audi’s new head of F1 the chance to take his time assessing his options.

There are plenty of young drivers either in reserve roles or racing in Formula 2 that would jump at the chance to race for the team next year even if development will be fully focused on 2026.

Felipe Drugovich could be available to Sauber given his chances of earning a seat at Aston Martin are extremely slim.

Then there’s the situation Liam Lawson faces within Red Bull as they try and solve their driver conundrum.

Zhou brings plenty of cash with him and that could help Audi develop their F1 car even if his performances aren’t at the same level as Bottas’s.