F1 | Valtteri Bottas open to Red Bull move, but internal resistance poses a problem. Valtteri Bottas is targeting a return to F1 in 2026.

Valtteri Bottas speaks again about his desire to return to F1 in 2026 and is exploring several teams: Red Bull, Alpine, and Cadillac are among the options.

Valtteri Bottas has no intention of ending his Formula 1 career and has already put himself forward to Red Bull for next season. After losing his seat at Sauber and now serving as a Mercedes reserve driver for 2025, the Finnish driver is already looking ahead to 2026 with the aim of returning to the grid full-time.

In an interview on the official podcast “Beyond The Grid,” Bottas revealed that talks have taken place with several teams, including Red Bull, Alpine, and the new Cadillac team. But the Red Bull door already seems only slightly open.

“I think there’s someone inside Red Bull who isn’t a big fan of mine,” said Bottas, referring to the well-known Helmut Marko, who has never forgotten the Turn 1 crash caused by Bottas at the 2021 Hungarian GP during the title fight with Verstappen.

Valtteri Bottas to Red Bull? His pitch and alternatives
Valtteri Bottas expressed doubts over Red Bull’s willingness to consider drivers from outside its junior program, given the presence of many young talents such as Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and Ayumu Iwasa. “I wonder if that car, to be driven at the highest level, requires an experienced driver. Max is pushing the limits, and everyone who’s been alongside him has struggled,” he added.

The Cadillac project seems to be the most concrete option. Valtteri Bottas confirmed “in-depth discussions” with the American team, and the idea of building a team from the ground up intrigues him: “Being able to influence the direction of the project from the start would be very motivating,” he said.

Alpine also remains in the background. After the underwhelming results of Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto, the French team might prefer an experienced driver. Bottas confirmed contacts in that direction as well.

If Formula 1 doesn’t provide opportunities, Bottas admitted he is considering other options. Among them stands out IndyCar, where he had already received an offer for 2025: “If it’s not Formula 1, I’ll have to consider a plan B. IndyCar is definitely a concrete option.” For now, Valtteri Bottas remains optimistic: “Everything is still open. We’ll see what happens between now and August.”