Toto Wolff: Alpine's interest in Bottas is only growing

      Pierre Gasly finished sixth at Silverstone, marking the best result for the Alpine team this season, demonstrating that an experienced driver, with the right approach and a bit of luck, can score points behind the wheel of the A525. Franco Colapinto, by definition, lacks experience — this largely explains the driving errors leading to accidents, as happened at the start of the qualifying session at the British circuit. Since all the points accumulated by the Renault factory team have been earned solely by Gasly, and only at four of the twelve already completed events, it is not surprising that they are at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship. Of course, Alpine F1 is not satisfied with this, as there is a risk that the 2025 season will become the worst in the team's history. On the one hand, there have been no statements about Colapinto's future; on the other, Flavio Briatore, acting as its interim team principal, has already approached Toto Wolff with a question about whether Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes' reserve driver, could be relied upon if needed. "Actually, I've contacted him several times already, including today when I met with Flavio, and we talked about Valtteri," shared the Mercedes team boss in an interview with Viaplay. "It seems that interest in Valtteri is only growing. He deserves a seat on this team. If someone wants to offer him a race driver contract, we will let him go. Of course, our eyes will water a bit. Ultimately, I can only advise him as a friend. The decision will be made by Valtteri himself along with his management. I will try to stay in the background." However, the somewhat unexpected interest from Alpine has only been discussed recently, while Bottas probably has different plans, primarily related to potential cooperation with the new Cadillac F1 team, and he is considered one of the main candidates. Moreover, General Motors' factory program in Formula 1 is long-term, which adds to its attractiveness. Will Briatore be able to make an equally attractive offer to the Finnish driver? Here is how Valtteri himself commented on the situation during an interview with Viaplay: "All these discussions are still only preliminary. My sport has taught me, especially looking at last year, that nothing is certain until contracts are signed. Since nothing has been signed yet, we are exploring all possible options. I think the negotiations will mainly focus on plans for next year, not this season. Will any short-term agreements be useful to me? I don't know... I am mainly focused on 2026 and future prospects. For me, the most important thing is to choose the best option and the most interesting project, although I am ready to get behind the wheel at any moment."