This season began with 13 drivers set to be out of an F1 contract in turn, meaning 13 opening at the apex of motor sporting; F1. While that number has significantly come down as Carlos Sanz, the latest piece of the puzzle, finally found a new home, there still are a couple of seats left on the grid. The ones we will be talking about are the second seat at Sauber turning Audi in 2026 and the team desperately looking for a revival Alpine. 10x Grand Prix winner, Valtteri Bottas is the most talented driver on the grid without a seat. Where does he go? Is he the cog wheel who will decide Audi and Alpine’s future?

Why was Valtteri Bottas linked to Alpine? Will Jack Doohan take the cake?

A few weeks ago, Pierre Gasly didn’t hesitate to accept that the decision of who becomes his teammate wasn’t ultimately his. Regardless, the 28-year-old wished to have the ‘fastest’ person on the grid as his teammate. However, the team had to play the waiting game as they had three good driver options available for 2025. He said, “At the end of the day, it’s not up to me. I welcome the fastest guy out there. We all know who it is. But then, at the moment, we’ve got to wait. But the team has three good options.”

People added two and two together to figure that it was Bottas who had clocked in the fastest speed ever at the 2016 Baku qualifying (378km/h), meaning he might complete the French team soon. Though Gasly later clarified that he was talking about Carlos Sainz, the fans were abuzz that it was ‘meant for’ Bottas. But the latest news is that the Enstone-based team is tilting in the favour of Jack Doohan. According to Motorsports.com, Jack Doohan is on the verge of a deal with the Alpine Formula 1 team that will see him race alongside Pierre Gasly next year.

Another name that is being closely linked to the team is Mick Schumacher. Schumacher has spent a year and a half on the sidelines and is looking to make a comeback. He is currently serving as the reserve driver for Mercedes and McLaren and the driver for the World Endurance Championship for Alpine. There will be a duel of suitors for Alpine, but if that is true, where will the fastest guy on the grid end up in 2025? Probably he is already where he needs to be.

Will Valtteri join the incoming Audi project?

“I’m confident I’m going to get a seat.” These were the words of Valtteri Bottas earlier in the year, as driver market speculation reached its height. In the months since then, the dominos 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 now opted for a driver who has had more recent wins than Valtteri, even though the total number is just one-third of the Finn’s. Though the Williams, Mercedes, and even Alpine doors seem closed for the Finnish driver, he might still have a place to go?

In the larger scheme of things, Carlos Sainz not choosing Audi can be a blessing in disguise for the 10-time F1 race winner. Bottas’ current team, Kick Sauber F1 racing team is set to be rebranded as Audi. The team has already signed Nico Hulkenberg as their first driver, but the second seat that remains open may be filled by the more successful driver on the team currently. Betting on Bottas can prove favorable for the incoming German outfit because of the gold mine of experience that he is. It is understood that they are already considering his name.

Where do you think Valtteri will go? And more importantly, who will be the drivers who fill in the open seats at Sauber and Alpine? Let us know in the comments section below.