Valtteri Bottas has insisted that he's back and raring to go in 2024 after a long winter of preparation.
The Finn is entering his third season under the Sauber umbrella and, along with team-mate Zhou Guanyu, is looking forward to improving on a pretty dismal set of results in 2023.
A ninth-place finish in the constructors’ standings was far from ideal, and with Audi set to take control of the team in 2026, he will be keen to prove to them that he is the driver to lead the team in the right direction.
Having signed a three-year contract in 2022, it means that this could be Bottas’ last season with the team if they decide to go in another direction.
A whopping 14 seats are currently available for the 2025 season, as teams await the first few grands prix of this year before making a decision based on their drivers’ form.
Bottas could be a hot commodity on the market – a proven race winner with experience of leading a team would add value to most if not all F1 outfits.
In a post on X which received over 8,000 likes, Bottas can be seen training over the winter in preparation for a return to racing and says:
"Preparation is the key. Honestly pumped up for 2024, to be the best version of myself I can. Let’s go!"