Finland has had a driver in the F1 series for almost 34 years straight. It seems more and more likely that that streak will end very soon. The brightest Finnish formula promise of the moment Tuukka Taponen will not drive in the series for the next few years.
At the same time, maintaining Finland’s F1 reputation Valtteri Bottas the end of the series is approaching. The current contract of the Alfa Romeo driver, who recently turned 34, continues until next season, but F1 has seen many times over the years that nothing is definitively certain.
Bottas’ driving performances this season do not guarantee a future in the Swiss team, at least after next year. The experienced driver’s season hasn’t been bad, but it won’t be far from it.
Sure, like last year, Alfa Romeo is one of the weakest teams in the series, but in this case it’s worth comparing with a teammate. Chinese driving in F1 for the second time Zhou Guanyu has taken a significant step from last season.
Even though Bottas is slightly ahead of his ten-year-younger teammate in both the race and qualifying statistics, that doesn’t tell the whole picture. Of the two, Zhou in particular has given the most memorable impression of himself.
The 24-year-old driver was responsible for the team’s best qualifying position of the season so far in Hungary, finishing fifth and beating Bottas, who finished seventh.
Last weekend, in the rain at the Dutch GP, Zhou took advantage of the early tactics and was even third for a while. Of course, Zhou was lucky on the way, but there have been no similar individual flashes from Bottas this season.
Bottas, who has won ten times in his career and reached the podium 67 times, should be the leading driver of his team on the track. Zhou is a decent driver, but he has never had a reputation for any special talent.
Zhou, who is without a contract from next season, has therefore driven at his own good level this season, while Bottas has not been able to do so. The point difference is also a difficult point in favor of the Finn, when last year it was around 40 points.
Chinese Zhou also has the advantage that he comes from a large market area. Alfa Romeo has a few Chinese community partners, although the stable has stated that the China boom has been slower than expected.
The top promise must be raised
If Zhou continues his good performances, the biggest threat to Bottas’ F1 stool is the gem of Alfa Romeo’s junior organization, the top talent Theo Pourchaire.
The Frenchman, who recently turned 20 years old, has been on the lips of formula followers for a long time despite his young age, but in the past the F1 place has not been topical. Now is.
Pourchaire, who is in his third season in the F2 series, has been super fast all along, but according to experts, he has lacked consistency in the past.
With two weekends left in this F2 season, Pourchaire leads the series by 12 points ahead of the Dane Frederik Vestia. Pourchaire, who drives in the ART team, got off to a great start to the penultimate race weekend in Monza, when he grabbed the pole position for the main race on Sunday.
Pourchaire’s consistency this season is indicated by the fact that he has won only once (on the opening weekend), but has reached the podium no less than nine times.
Two years ago he was fifth in the series, second last season. Now close to the championship. Pourchaire is a complete package for the next F1 season.
It is easy to think that a driver who has been in the same junior class is not eligible to become an F1 driver – he should move up there after one season.
However, Pourchaire would still be only 20 years old at the beginning of the next F1 season. Younger than McLaren, who drove a great debut season this season Oscar Piastri.
Alfa Romeo is in a difficult situation. If Pourchaire, despite the F2 championship, does not drive in the team next season, there is a risk that the same will happen to Alfa Romeo as it did to Alpine with Piastr. So a top talent like Pourchaire ends up in the ranks of a competitor the following season.
Bottas may still be an interloper in the three-driver game of chairs, if things don’t improve for the rest of the season.
More attractive options
Bottas’ advantage is that he has a lot of experience. However, it is essential that the experience is conveyed on a concrete level. As stated earlier, Bottas has not acted this season on the track with the grip required by the team’s leading driver.
During the Alfa Romeo era, Bottas has become a much more relaxed driver than in the Mercedes days, who pranks and entertains his followers on social media. Five years Lewis Hamilton as a team mate they demand their toll.
So the Finn has earned his more relaxed approach. This season, however, it has seemed that the relaxed grip already has the flavor of blowing out.
F1 is a raw world that cannot afford too much accommodation. It can be difficult for a 34-year-old athlete who is used to success to be motivated to fight as hard as possible for the last points.
In 2026, Alfa Romeo/Sauber will officially become Audi. Recently, the winds of the future have been blowing in the stable, which shows, for example, that it is valued Andreas Seidlin pestaus as the managing director of the team.
Bottas has told about his interest in the car giant’s project. However, this idea will most likely remain at the level of a dream.
From Audi’s point of view, there are currently far more attractive leading drivers in the F1 series, who surprisingly could be on the open market soon.
An interesting name is, for example, McLaren’s 23-year-old star driver Lando Norris. He may soon feel his position threatened in the company of another young driver, Piastr.
Norris is an excellent option as the leading driver of a team striving for success. Another eligible candidate is a Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. The measure of the Monaco star, who is chasing his first World Cup victory, may be about to be full for Ferrari’s constant confusion.
Bottas’ F1 future has never been so uncertain. The only thing that is certain is that Nastola’s talent has to be put on the board for the rest of the season.