Valtteri Bottas could now replace £4m-a-year driver in F1’s summer break before joining Cadillac in 2026

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Valtteri Bottas has admitted that he is now ‘close’ to signing for Cadillac ahead of the General Motors team’s debut in 2026, but the Finn may return to the F1 grid in 2025.

The 35-year-old fell off the grid this year after leaving Sauber, as Audi elected against giving him a new contract to help shape the German brand’s arrival in 2026. This year thus marked the first time since Bottas debuted for Williams in 2013 that he has not featured on the grid.

Bottas kept himself in the paddock by returning to Mercedes as a reserve driver, though. He drove for the Silver Arrows between 2017 and 2021 before joining Sauber, and his return to Brackley has seen Bottas serve as a vital mentor for Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Staying in the paddock even looks likely to help see the 10-time Grand Prix winner claim one of the seats at Cadillac on the 2026 F1 grid. It is said that Bottas and Cadillac have agreed on the terms of his contract to lead the General Motors outfit, but nothing has been signed yet.

Valtteri Bottas could replace Franco Colapinto at Alpine before joining Cadillac in 2026

Bottas privately admitted that he is ‘close’ to signing for Cadillac while at last week’s Belgian Grand Prix, too. But the Finn has not put pen to paper yet to lead the General Motors brand into F1 next year, with the final details being ironed out as Cadillac put their puzzle together.

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

It is also ‘conceivable’ that Bottas might even get back on the grid before joining Cadillac, as sport.de reports that the 20-time polesitter may still replace Franco Colapinto at Alpine this season. It is not entirely ruled out that Bottas takes over from Colapinto for the rest of 2025.

Alpine are expected to ditch Colapinto during the summer break that follows this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, having failed to deliver since the 22-year-old replaced Jack Doohan in May. The Argentine has not secured a point through seven rounds, with a best finish of P13.

So, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff pushing for Bottas to replace Colapinto at Alpine, he may step in from the Dutch Grand Prix on August 29-31. Alpine’s executive adviser Flavio Briatore will settle Colapinto’s immediate future over the summer break following the Hungarian GP.

Flavio Briatore has still not seen Franco Colapinto justify replacing Jack Doohan at Alpine

Colapinto is under serious pressure to save his seat at Alpine as Briatore put him in their car after seeing Doohan fail to score a point during his seven appearances (one in 2024 and six this term). Briatore is yet to see Colapinto prove that he is a true upgrade on the Australian.

READ MORE: Who is Alpine 2025 F1 driver Franco Colapinto? Everything you need to know

Briatore also admitted that he was ‘not happy at all’ with Colapinto’s results in June, and life on the F1 grid has not gotten much better for the Buenos Aires native since. Colapinto’s best qualifying result remains his P12 in Canada and he is yet to make Q3, including four Q1 exits.

But what may save the Argentine, at least in the summer break, is that Bottas is not thought to be keen on replacing Colapinto at Alpine. Any reluctance from Bottas to take over may be the lifeline that Colapinto needs to show his true potential after resetting over the summer.

Briatore will want Colapinto to prove he is a real upgrade on Doohan and why Alpine signed him on a five-season loan deal from Williams this year. Alpine pay Colapinto £4m a year, as well, but they sit last in the F1 constructors’ championship with just Pierre Gasly’s 20 points.