Alfa Romeo Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas says he feels he has “many, many years” left in the sport.
Bottas joined the Hinwil-based squad last year after departing Mercedes, having played a key role in its run of championship success from 2017 to 2021.
The Finn made his F1 debut 10 years ago with Williams and has amassed 10 grand prix wins and 67 podium results.
At 33 years of age, Bottas is now one of the oldest drivers on the grid – however he says he has no plans to hang up his helmet anytime soon
“It’s hard to say,” said Bottas, when asked on the Beyond The Grid podcast if he will race into his 40s.
“It obviously depends [on] the way the sport is going. What’s the situation in the sport? Which team are you in? How is the atmosphere?
“At some point, what comes to you is all the travelling. Would you rather be racing [on] another side of the globe, or would you rather actually not pack your suitcase and stay home? I think that’s going to come at some point.
“It’s pretty consuming. I’m still more than happy to do it for quite a long time. But I’ll tell you, when I’m 39, if I go for 40. It’s hard to commit to at the moment, but I still have many, many years for sure.”
Bottas’ Alfa Romeo squad is set to return to the Sauber name in 2024 ahead of Audi’s takeover of the team in 2026.
Having tallied over 200 grand prix starts in his career, Bottas says he is still performing at a level that should see him remain on the grid for several years to come.
“I’m still young compared to some,” said Bottas, a 10-time race winner. “I’m 33. I still don’t see my Formula 1 career ending in the near future and I don’t feel any performance losses on my driving or the way I work with the team.
“It is interesting for the whole race team and company, what is happening. Of course, being part of a car manufacturer is something that you almost need if you want to win in Formula 1.”
