Valtteri Bottas F1 survival chances boosted by surprise approach

Valtteri Bottas has emerged as a viable solution to Alpine's second driver issue, which has plagued Team Enstone since before the start of the current F1 season. RacingNews365 can reveal Alpine executive adviser - and de facto team boss - Flavio Briatore has contacted Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff about the availability of the Finnish driver in 2026. Briatore, who appears to be exploring his options, has been told Bottas is a free agent at the end of the campaign, as he does not have a reserve deal in place with the Brackley squad for next year. After starting his F1 career with Williams in 2013, the 35-year-old raced for Mercedes between 2017 and 2021, winning 10 grands prix before being replaced by George Russell for 2022. He went on to spend three seasons with Alfa Romeo/Stake, but lost his seat at the end of last term, prompting his return to Mercedes in a test and reserve capacity. The French squad started the year with Jack Doohan alongside Pierre Gasly, but the Australian was jettisoned from the second car after six rounds by Franco Colapinto, who was signed over the winter by Briatore on a loan deal from Williams. Whilst the Argentine has struggled through his initial five-race slate, it is believed he will be afforded more time to impress, despite Briatore starting to apply pressure on the 21-year-old over the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. Neither Doohan nor Colapinto have scored points this season, the only two drivers yet to get off the mark, leaving Alpine currently rooted to the bottom of the constructors' standings with 11 points, 15 adrift of Stake in ninth. Cadillac, Sergio Perez and the Mercedes power unit Meanwhile, Bottas has also been linked with the fledgling Cadillac operation since the American team was green-lighted by F1 earlier this year. In the past week, those ties have intensified after the 10-time grand prix winner shared a video on social media where he commented on how he liked the seats in a Cadillac SUV, whilst also remarking he was "not yet" ready to sit in one of them. His primary competition for both a Cadillac or Alpine seat will likely come from former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, and there remains the possibility that each will take one of the two, respectively. However, Bottas may hold an advantage over the Mexican driver in one critical area with the latter team. When F1 embarks on a new power unit and chassis regulations era next year, Alpine will forgo its works team status simultaneously. It has agreed a customer deal with Mercedes, and will thus want a line-up comprised of two drivers capable of scoring consistent points, to benefit from what is expected to be the leading engine under the new rules. Bottas, with his experience working with the power unit produced by the eight-time constructors' champions, could, therefore, be a valuable asset to Alpine.