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Valtteri Bottas open to rCyinterestingrCO US move after F1 career ends
Jon Wilde 19 hours ago
Valtteri Bottas smiling in Alfa Romeo garage. Mexico City October 2022. Valtteri Bottas can see himself making a move to IndyCar racing when he
is done with Formula 1.
The Finn is into what is probably the third and final phase of his F1
career, barring an unexpected twist.
He began racing with Williams in 2013 and after becoming a regular
visitor to the podium the following year, and backing that up with two
further solid campaigns, he earned his big opportunity at Mercedes after
Nico Rosberg retired.
Five seasons and 10 race wins later, plus a 100% record in the
ConstructorsrCO Championship with the Silver Arrows, Bottas clambered out
of the pressure cooker when deposed by the team in favour of George
Russell and opted for a multi-year contract at Alfa Romeo under a dimmer spotlight.
Now 33, and no longer a realistic contender for victories, it is
inevitable that he should start to think about what could be ahead in
the medium term.
That could mean a Stateside switch, Bottas has admitted.
rCLMaybe IrCOll be racing in the US [in the future],rCY he told The Ringer F1 podcast.
rCLIndyCar is quite interesting. The tracks are nice and the racing seems really real.
rCLItrCOs been gaining popularity, at least in Europe, so letrCOs see.rCY
What do the next few years hold for Valtteri Bottas?
Certainly until the end of 2024, he can be considered the driver team
leader at Alfa Romeo, with Zhou Guanyu confirmed alongside him for a
second season.
In saying that though, despite their difference in experience there has
not been much between the duo in performance during the second half of
this season rCo the Chinese rookie has definitely not been left in BottasrCO wake.
The big unknown is what will happen when Audi start to get their feet
under the table at Sauber, with whom they are officially linking up from
2026 after Alfa RomeorCOs sponsorship deal concludes at the end of 2023.
Will the German manufacturer want a say regarding drivers from, say,
2024 onwards? Reports suggest they are keen on Mick Schumacher, so that
could potentially impact upon Bottas or Zhou.
And we are not suggesting he will be tackling the Tour de France in the foreseeable future but it may also be worth keeping an eye on BottasrCO burgeoning cycling activity, just in case that impacts upon any
decisions he makes regarding F1.
His Australian partner, Tiffany Cromwell, is, of course, a professional
road cyclist rCo a multiple Giro drCOItalia stage winner, no less rCo and the duo recently teamed up to win a gravel race in Kansas.
Read more: Zhou Guanyu aiming for longer than one-year contracts in the
future
also worth reading
Sam Cooper
31 Oct 2022
Valtteri Bottas rCyplanning to stick aroundrCO for rCyhuge opportunityrCO with Audi
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