“I’m confident I’m going to get a seat,” said Valtteri Bottas earlier this year when the F1’s silly season ‘act’ was just in its opening stages. In the months since then, the dominoes have slowly started to fall and his options are becoming extremely limited. It is understood that his old team, Mercedes, will go in the direction of their prodigal son, Kimi Antonelli. Williams, where everyone thought Bottas had a good chance, has picked Carlos Sainz. But amidst all this, rumors of his stay at Sauber, soon to be branded as Audi, are getting ripe by the day. His latest update has again sent us into a frenzy, awaiting the silly season’s one of the last pieces of the puzzle to find a home.

What was Valtteri Bottas’ latest update?

Three days ago, our Bottas took to the social media platform Instagram to indulge in a paid promotion for a technology solutions brand. He titled the post, “Fun Day in California” with an emoticon of the American Flag. This, combined with already-brewing rumors of his extended stay at Sauber, has now sent fans guessing if there is a clue one should catch to solve the conundrum he has thrown our way. But what was the clue?

In the post, one can see an Audi R8 road car, which he is using for a “secret mission” with partner Hyland. Interestingly, the car in the post has another clue. It has the number ’77’ incorporated onto the side of it. This is Valtteri’s race number. Could this be a potential hint at the impending announcement? Fans certainly think so. If you don’t believe us, do take a look at the comments section of the post and the storm it has stirred up.

Some comments read our minds and stated, “Interesting car there Valtteri 🤔”. Another user added to the building train of guesswork, “THIS BETTER MEAN WHAT I THINK IT DOES. ” While a few talked and commented in riddles, others were just direct and asked him the pressing question point blank. They said, “So you’re going to Audi? 😂”, “What are you trying to tell us Valtteri…”. So on and so forth. And if that is the case, we think Valtteri Bottas is just the man for the newcomers.

Why is Valtteri Bottas the best fit for Audi?

Audi, which will be taking over operations from the Sauber team that joined the F1 grid in 1993, has already begun warming up for the takeover. The German manufacturer has moved to accelerate and expand their commitment to Formula 1 by choosing to take a 100% stake in Swiss operation Sauber ahead of their arrival in the sport in 2026.

This means they will be taking over Sauber before joining F1 in 2026. Ahead of this, they have announced Nico Hulkenberg as their first driver. The German driver is the safest bet for the team. With his sea of experience and his impeccable driving skills, the driver will aim to stabilize the Sauber team just like he breathed life into Haas. But he did it with his experienced teammate, Kevin Magnussen. Audi might need a replication of this experience in their infancy days.

There is no better bet than Bottas if one considers drivers on the grid. The Finnish driver has 10 wins under his belt and the experience of driving with the best in the business, i.e. Lewis Hamilton. I don’t think there is an experience greater than beating the best one out there. Valtteri’s winning skills, combined with Nico’s experience, can build a strong foundation for the incoming auto giants. Sauber is set to become Audi and they might not have to look too far to ‘cast’ their second driver. Valtteri Bottas stated that Mattia Binotto’s arrival at the Audi F1 project would allow him to reset contract negotiations. And this might be our last piece in the Audi puzzle.