New lifeline earned for F1 driver facing axe after new team boss arrival

While a “complicated situation”, Valtteri Bottas now has a fresh shot at securing his Formula 1 future as his point of contact for negotiations switches to Mattia Binotto.

With Sauber continuing preparations for the Audi era to come from F1 2026, one half of their driver line-up for next season and beyond is already determined with Nico Hulkenberg making the move from Haas. But, who will his team-mate be?

Valtteri Bottas F1 talks ‘reset’ with Mattia Binotto arrival

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Bottas is looking to retain his seat, but now has a new chief to negotiate with after Audi announced major changes to their F1 operation, with ex-Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto replacing Andreas Seidl at the head of their F1 project, while chairman Oliver Hoffmann was shown the door as well.

Long-serving Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley meanwhile will arrive as team principal and lead the project with Binotto.

Having been unable to secure a new deal with the previous management, Bottas has now received a major lifeline when it comes to his F1 future, a “reset” in negotiations as he and team-mate Zhou Guanyu ready to begin the process of talks with Binotto.

“It is going to reset a bit the talks, because we have previously been in communication with Andreas and Oliver, and now it’s Mattia,” Bottas told media including PlanetF1.com in a press conference.

“For sure that will change some things, so we need to speak.

“It’s a bit of a complicated situation, but let’s see.”

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Zhou also spoke of a “reset” in talks with these sweeping changes at the top of the team, but feels the “overall story” for himself is unchanged as he battles to secure a new deal with just one seat still available with the team.

Asked by media including PlanetF1.com whether this is a reset of the conversation, with a new perspective possibly brought to the team, Zhou replied: “Yeah, exactly.

“I think it is what they want to have, in terms of their goal and for the future for next year and also for when Audi arrive. It’s definitely going to be a little bit different.

“For me, it’s definitely a reset for the management group people I’ll try to talk to differently, and to understand exactly what values you can bring and what they want you to have and to be taking part in this kind of project.

“So yeah, it seems it definitely will be changing around a bit more than what was planned before. But from my side, I don’t think it changes a lot the overall story or the picture.”

Pressed by PlanetF1.com on whether this means that initial conversation has not yet been held with Binotto, Zhou replied: “I mean, I know him from a few years ago already when I was with Ferrari. So he’s not someone I never spoke to.

“It’s not somebody very new that I need to introduce myself a lot to him. He already knows myself and also we knew him as well.”

Zhou served as a Ferrari Driver Academy prospect from 2014-18, while Sauber has been a long-term Ferrari power unit customer, meaning Binotto is not a new face to team or driver.

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