Valtteri Bottas open to Red Bull F1 move: “They know I’m available for next year”

Valtteri Bottas is open to a move to Red Bull should they need another second driver to put alongside Max Verstappen.

Bottas is Mercedes’ test and reserve driver after he could not land a full-time seat on the 2025 F1 grid.

The Finn had hoped to remain part of the Audi project, but Sauber opted to sign Gabriel Bortoleto instead.

Bottas remains hopeful that he can get back on the grid in 2026.

With Red Bull struggling to find a competitive teammate for Verstappen, Bottas has put himself in the mix.

Bottas spent five years alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, remaining unbeaten in the constructors’ championship.

The 35-year-old would be interested in joining Red Bull but hinted that one high profile figure at the team “is not a big fan of mine”.

“It just [got] put down quite quickly because I think there’s certain persons, or a person, within the Red Bull organisation that for some reason is not a big fan of mine,” Bottas said on the Beyond The Grid podcast.

“I don’t know if they look outside their academy. They have so many drivers, they’ve got their junior team as well.

“It’s a tough one because it seems like it’s not an easy car to drive. Obviously Max is doing the job. He’s really pushing almost beyond the limits of the car. And whoever has been alongside him hasn’t looked great. But I don’t know. I just wonder if that car, to be driven fast, needs a driver with experience.

“That’s my speculation, but I think they know that I’m keen to race. They know that I would be available for next year. But I don’t know their mindset on that.”

Bottas addresses possible Alpine move

Alpine is another team that could need a second driver.

Alpine started the year with Jack Doohan alongside Pierre Gasly.

Doohan was replaced after Miami, opening the door for Franco Colapinto.

However, Colapinto has struggled during his first few races back.

When asked if Bottas could join Alpine, he replied: “They do have a Mercedes power unit for the future, which I think is a good call.

“They’re on the second driver this year, and I think the next races will show how that goes again.

“Experience can always help but there’s lots of politics in this sport. I don’t have tens of millions to pay for a seat for example.

“It depends on the team, but I do have some personal partners that could potentially join me but not to the extent to some others.

“Let’s wait and see if you race to see how things go. You never know if something opens up.”