Valtteri Bottas has revealed he turned down a proposal to drive in IndyCar full-time subsequent season however insisted he’s open to tackling the Indianapolis 500 – although his main focus stays on Formulation 1.
The 35-year-old will go away Sauber on the finish of 2024 and is predicted to switch Mick Schumacher as reserve driver for his former squad Mercedes.
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That’s with an eye fixed to a return to the grid in 2026 for the brand new period of F1 racing, as regulation adjustments are enforced whereas Cadillac’s recently-announced entry boosts the variety of seats accessible.
With give attention to retaining his F1 profession alive, Bottas has determined to not look elsewhere for a full-time racing programme subsequent yr, and talking forward of the Qatar Grand Prix, he defined: “It is a aware resolution, I believe it simply comes too fast.
“To illustrate, for instance, leaping right into a full IndyCar season after 12 years of F1, I simply really feel prefer it comes a bit too fast as a result of it is plenty of laborious work and plenty of familiarisation to be accomplished and all this stuff.
“So yeah, I might reasonably take only a little bit of time to determine what’s subsequent and go from there.”
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Crew KICK Sauber C44
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
Requested if he had any approaches for an IndyCar change, Bottas replied: “Sure, I’ve had talks and approaches at this level. I’ve made it fairly clear that subsequent yr comes a bit too fast.
“2026 continues to be an opportunity to drop [in] the great automotive. My precedence nonetheless stays Formulation 1. If it is to not be Formulation 1 in 2026, then it is actually attention-grabbing for me for the longer term.”
Though Bottas has turned his again on a full-time drive in 2025, there’s nonetheless the possibility he may compete in one-off occasions, starting along with his confirmed look on the Race of Champions.
“Initially it relies upon if I will be round right here at each grand prix or not,” he stated. “If sure then clearly the choices are slightly bit much less restricted.
“I imply, Indy 500 has at all times been on the record, I have been at all times a fan of V8 Supercars and all these sorts of issues. So in the mean time, I am nonetheless fairly open and I simply have to… first I have to determine truly what’s the subsequent transfer after which we’ll see.
“I’ve not been allowed to do any rallying within the final two years. So it could be good to get again into it slightly bit, have some enjoyable.”
On whether or not he was given an Indy 500-only provide from an IndyCar outfit, Bottas replied: “Not but. I did get a stable provide for ’25 full season, however Indy 500 solely, we have not actually gone into particulars, however like I stated, first I would like to repair what’s the precise day job for ’25 and go from there.”
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On this article
Ewan Gale
Formulation 1
IndyCar
Valtteri Bottas
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