Why Valtteri Bottas may return to F1 sooner than everyone expects

Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, each in their own way, are doing everything possible to make a return to Formula 1 in 2026. Cadillac is the team most associated with the two, and with the help of PR or social media channels, both drivers are putting pressure on.

Earlier this year, Valtteri Bottas hinted at a seat with Cadillac in a video on social media. In the video, Valtteri Bottas was next to a Cadillac and mentioned how much he liked the seat, but he couldn't sit in it yet. The Finn is on Cadillac's radar as an experienced driver who can lead the team, but he is not the only one. Perez is also being considered for that role.

If you're not sure you're getting a seat with team 1, then it's an old Formula 1 law to at least pretend you're also desired by other teams. Sergio Perez and his PR machine are masters of this, and over the weekend in Silverstone, Valtteri Bottas's team also did their part.

Around the Grand Prix weekend in Great Britain, the first reports surfaced that Bottas was being considered as a replacement for Franco Colapinto at Alpine. Not just for 2026, but as soon as 2025. The rumors were squashed by Alpine when speaking to GPblog.

Discussions did indeed take place between Alpine and Valtteri Bottas, as Alpine had also previously held discussions with Sergio Perez. However, no deal has been reached. According to Alpine, Colapinto still enjoys their confidence, and if anyone else is to be tested in 2025, it would more likely be the other reserve driver, Paul Aron.

Yet no one, even within Alpine, really knows what Flavio Briatore wants. The man who will ultimately make the decisions, as he did with Jack Doohan, has held discussions with Valtteri Bottas. Toto Wolff, manager of Valtteri Bottas, said about this: ''I saw him [Briatore] and we talked about Valtteri. It seems that the interest in Valtteri is increasing even more.''

Valtteri himself also mentioned at Viaplay that he had discussions with Briatore.

Mercedes, of course, is eager to put its driver in the spotlight, just as the team around Sergio Perez is doing everything to highlight how sought-after the Mexican is.

For Alpine, it's mainly about 2026. The team, with Flavio at the forefront, is using 2025 primarily as a test for 2026. Then Alpine will have Mercedes engines, and they have to be fully prepared. It wouldn't be surprising if one or two other drivers take a seat in the Alpine this year, purely to compare drivers.

With Jack Doohan, Franco Colapinto, and Paul Aron, Alpine took on three drivers at the beginning of 2025 who wanted a chance at an F1 seat. Aron was reportedly disappointed that Colapinto, and not he, was given the chance after Jack Doohan.

However, it cannot be ruled out that Aron may still get his chance later in the year. After all, the 2025 test wouldn't be complete if not all drivers had the opportunity next to Pierre Gasly.