77 Valtteri Bottas, (FIN) Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber during the Hungarian GP, Budapest 18-21 July 2024 Formula 1 World championship 2024.
Formula 1 Rumors

Formula 1 Rumor: Bottas to step down to IndyCar with Sargeant

Posted by AR1 staff

Reporting from the paddock after the Singapore GP qualifying, Ted Kravitz said despite rumors of the Valtteri Bottas signing a new Sauber F1 contract, the Sky Sports reporter’s sources tell him that Bottas is most certainly headed away from F1 to race down in IndyCar.

The Sauber driver is currently negotiating to extend his current contract which expires at the end of 2024. With Audi set to take over in 2026, they have signed Nico Hulkenberg as one of their drivers, leaving just one seat vacant. According to reports, the Swiss team is also looking at rookies like Gabriel Bortoleto and Franco Colapinto for that seat.

In such a case, Kravitz is confident Bottas will have to switch discipline and take up an IndyCar seat across the pond. He said during the Ted’s Qualifying Notebook segment,

“Bottas is looking more like getting a drive in IndyCar, maybe with Logan Sargeant next year, rather than being a Sauber/Audi driver.”

It could be a good move for Bottas, who has been struggling at the back of the grid due to Sauber’s underperformance. The #77 driver has stated he is pushing hard to improve his qualifying and race performances. However, the Swiss team’s car has been dead last in the pecking order, limiting his ability to even score points.