Valtteri Bottas, a Benchwarmer in 2025
Wanted: drivers in their thirties for Formula 1. Recent market dynamics have nearly eliminated those in the latter stages of their careers who often seemed to have little left to offer. This applies to Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Perez, and Valtteri Bottas, who began 2024 as starters but will watch the 2025 championship from their TVs.
Today’s F1 has indeed sidelined an entire generation. Beyond veterans Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton (both now 40) and Nico Hülkenberg (who turns 38 in August), the oldest driver is Carlos Sainz, who only just turned 30 in September.
Valtteri Bottas’ comments
However, the cases of Nico Hülkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo (and previously Kevin Magnussen) give hope to those on the sidelines, motivating them for a potential return in 2026. While Daniel Ricciardo, disillusioned by his bitter disappointment at Red Bull, currently seems uninterested, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas feel they still have something to offer in F1. The Finn, who was let go by Kick Sauber along with Guanyu Zhou, wants to return only with a serious project: “It has to make sense,” he told *Motorsport Week*. “A one-year deal at this stage of my career wouldn’t be very useful. Without those conditions, I’d definitely have to look elsewhere.”
Valtteri Bottas, now a reserve driver for Mercedes, believes he can reflect positively on his F1 career even if it ends with the disappointing zero-point season: “I think being away from the grid is starting to hurt. It will become increasingly difficult to return if you’re out for more than a year, but various examples show that it’s possible. As an athlete, you’re never fully satisfied, but if I step back and look at my career, I can be proud. I’ve always tried to give my all; I managed to win five Constructors’ titles, achieve many victories (ten, to be precise), podiums (67), and countless great moments.”
Leave a Reply