After fourteen rounds, Sauber has yet to score a point in the 2024 Formula 1 season. As Audi is set to take over in 2026, the exit of CEO Andreas Seidl and chairman of the board Oliver Hoffmann has only escalated concerns over their pace of development and competitiveness. The signing of former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto as the team’s new COO and CTO before the summer break, however, indicates that Sauber/Audi is resolute about turning things around.
With a best finish of thirteenth place so far, Valtteri Bottas’s season has been far from impressive. Despite navigating operational failures and a car that has often been precarious to drive, the Finnish driver has nothing but positives to say regarding the recent organisational changes. He is intent on continuing his F1 journey with Audi in 2025 and beyond.
Bottas is quite optimistic that his chances of landing a seat have increased after Williams announced the signing of Carlos Sainz at the start of the summer break. When asked in his media session ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix if he has narrowed down his choices or kept his negotiations with Alpine open, he made it abundantly clear that Audi is his priority now.
“For sure it means there is one driver less. So yeah, I think it’s a fact that yes, there are probably bigger chances now, but that’s where we are.
“I would say my priority is being part of Audi. Since the announcement of the brand coming to Formula 1, I’ve always shown my interest to that project.”
The ten-time race winner also revealed that he has been in touch with Binotto since the Belgian Grand Prix. Although he is confident about his position, he is not yet certain whether Audi would go after another senior driver or choose to promote a younger talent as speculations regarding their second seat continue.
“So we had a quick talk after Spa, and we continued the discussions this week. That’s where we are at the moment.
“Yeah, obviously they make the decision in the end, but they are evaluating all the options no doubt, as they should. I would imagine I should be in a strong position, but obviously it’s down to Mattia and Audi.”
With regard to the question of whether the current regime has been more respectful towards him, Bottas admitted that the priorities appear to have shifted for the better. Given that Binotto has been part of a very influential and successful team in the past, the 34-year-old believes that he can steer the helm of the Audi F1 project in a positive direction.
“It did feel for the last six months or so that I wasn’t the top priority. Obviously there was one signing before me [Hülkenberg], and obviously the team and the management looking for all the options, with sometimes quite little communication.
“But now it feels a bit different. Like I said, there was a clear reset. Now there is a clear structure at the top of who’s doing what, and I think that’s positive going forwards. Mattia comes from a team that has been super successful, knows what a good team really needs, so I think it’s good for the future of this team.”
Bottas appeared to be more confident in Audi’s F1 prospects than before and confessed that it stemmed from his recent discussions with the team. The clarity regarding investments and ongoing development has convinced him of the merits of the project.
“For me it’s more like the more I learn about the Audi project and their investments and what they’ve been actually doing in the recent years, which now in the last two weeks I’ve learned a bit more. That makes me more confident that it’s going to be a successful project sooner or later.”
