Valtteri Bottas shares his ‘number one’ priority for F1 future with Sauber contract ending

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Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas has now shared his ‘number one’ priority for the 2025 season and beyond.

The experienced Finn has entered the final year of his contract with Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber but hasn’t scored a point yet this season.

The 10-time race winner was speaking to Racing News 365 about his future in Formula 1.

Valtteri Bottas names ‘number one’ priority for 2025 and beyond

It’s safe to say that the start of the 2024 Formula 1 hasn’t gone to plan for either of the two rebranded teams on the grid.

AlphaTauri became Visa Cash App RB and were pointless until Yuki Tsunoda’s brilliant drive in Australia.

Alfa Romeo’s partnership with Sauber ended and they were renamed Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

They only finished above Haas in the Constructors’ Championship and the American team have taken bigger steps forward this year.

Both drivers have been plagued by pit stop issues at each race making challenging for points an impossibility and Valtteri Bottas has suggested he needs to be careful not to show his frustration with the team.

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

However, there is hope on the horizon for the team, albeit not immediately.

Audi offer long-term hope for Sauber team in F1

In 2026, Audi take full control of the Sauber team and will become the newest works team on the grid.

They’ve been outstanding in other areas of motorsport – just ask Carlos Sainz’s father – and will want to achieve a similar level of success in Formula 1.

Valtteri Bottas has reiterated that becoming an Audi driver and staying with the team for 2025 and beyond is now his ‘number one’ priority.

That may be a challenge given some of the names being linked with a move to the German manufacturer.

But if they want an experienced head in the team and someone who can provide expert feedback as they find their feet in the sport, then Bottas might just be their man.

Valtteri Bottas suggests ‘amazing’ Audi seat is his priority

Asked about his preferred next step, Bottas said: “For me, yeah, on my list that [joining Audi] is number one, obviously, and if that were possible, it would be amazing.

“It is exciting because it is a manufacturer that has always been good in any motorsport, so it would be quite interesting for me, and I can put my experience to use when the cars change for ’26.”

Whether Bottas is Audi’s number one priority heading into 2025 and the new regulation changes in 2026 is another matter.

Audi’s connection with Carlos Sainz’s family and the Spaniard’s impending availability make him an interesting option.

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

They also like Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg and his previous relationship with team principal Andreas Seidl might help convince the 36-year-old to commit to the project.

Bottas has been touted as a potential option for Mercedes to fill Lewis Hamilton’s seat although he more of an outside shot rather than a frontrunner for that role.

Realistically, staying with Sauber when they become Audi is probably the best he can do in the current driver market.

If he can get a couple of points under his belt in Japan and China and outperform Zhou Guanyu then that will certainly help his case.